Kanto Quest
by Nightsonic
Summary: Join Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty as they journey through the Kanto region. They will face many trials along the way of reaching their respective goals and learning more of the Pokemon world. This is an anime rewrite with non-cannon Pokemon, mysteries, modern tech, and dangers. Amourshipping. Older protags. Inspired by movie 20, Pokemon Journeys, and Sword and Shield games
1. A Shocking Start

**AN: Welcome to my first fanfic on this website. I apologize if this idea seems very unoriginal as others have rolled with this idea for a while now, but I believe I have a unique take on the tale of our beloved characters that's worth exploring.**

**How is my story different than others?**

**Like the summary says, I'm taking different elements from Movie 20 (I Choose You), Current 2019 Anime, and Sword and Shield Games. Ash will not be getting all of his cannon Pokemon. It was not a decision made lightly, but I wanted to provide a somewhat fresh experience. That being said, while many chapters are inspired by the episodes of the anime, a lot of it will be presented differently. You'll have to give the first three chapters a read to understand what I'm talking about. You'll practically see it right away. There are also some things I'll explain after the chapter. **

**Why are the protags older?**

**3 reasons. 1 being the children of the anime typically act like adults anyways. 2 being romance as I don't want to feel weird or creeped out about pairing people together. They're also 18 years old for the record and most people generally start their journeys between 13-16 in my world. Not to say some can't start at 10. 3 I want to give some depth to their characters. No, there will not be any swearing. It doesn't add anything in my opinion.**

**Why Serena?**

**I like her character and see a lot of potential in her. I think the anime didn't do her justice, especially towards the end of her time to shine. I also think that Ash and Serena are wonderful together. There will be a lot of romantic elements but it's not the main focus. Rest assure that Ash and Serena will end up together. It'll just take a while. No lemons.**

**Is Ash smarter and stronger? Aura?**

**Yes, sort of, and Yes. The sort of is more so this is his FIRST adventure. He's not going to make some silly mistakes like using an electric move on a ground type or normal move on a ghost type like the anime, but his battling style has yet to be discovered/refined. Also, he's going to have to learn a few things. I don't want him being a Mary Sue after all.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon nor the characters. I'm just a guy who wants to add writing to his list of hobbies so this will not be a professional level. I've also done a lot of research in terms of using the Pokemon Database, Bulbepeida, Serebii, and rewatching specific anime episodes. If something looks wrong to you, please do some research first before calling me out. I'll always try to point out certain elements that'll tilt people's heads. If I'm wrong, I'll fix it and acknowledge it. Don't be a jerk about it either. **

* * *

**Prologue**

Mew happily allowed the windmill blade to rise high into the sky. Near the tip of its peak, she slid down and onto the next blade. Rinse and repeat. The New Species Pokémon giggled at the never-ending slide she had created on a whim; however, she did not come to Pallet Town to play with a building. She was here to play with an old friend.

Her eyes gazed upon the gathering of children in a grassy-field. A fence created a border on the left while a massive forest expanded on the right. A river flowed through the area as well.

How could she play with her friend today? Maybe playing in the river today would be fun. Or maybe a game of hide and seek. The possibilities were endless.

Mew floated in the air when she detected a familiar presence. One she hadn't felt in a long time. Her eyes fixated upon a little girl in a straw hat and pink dress. The New Species Pokémon performed a loopy-loop in celebration. She had the opportunity to play with two old friends once again. Could this day get any better?

The girl stood in the back, kicking the dirt below her feet with her head hanging low. The other children talked among themselves, rudely ignoring her. They should be throwing a parade in her honor and for the other hero among them.

The said hero was at the front of the group, blissfully unaware of a special someone behind him. His name was Ash and on this particular day, he wore a yellowish shirt and shorts. Standing next to him were Gary and Leaf, his childhood friends.

This simply won't do at all.

Beyond Ash was a wooden stage platform with different Pokémon standing on it. There was a Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Eevee, Oddish, Rattata, a male Nidoran, and so much more.

Mew noted each Pokémon before deciding on the perfect on to imitate. She transformed into a Pidgey and soared above the children and behind the platform where it sneakily transformed once again into a Poliwag. She hopped onto the platform and blended in with the rest of the Pokémon.

Walking upon the stage was an old man known as Professor Oak. He faced the children while turning his back on the group of Pokémon. "Welcome one and all to this year's exciting summer camp! As you all can see, we have plenty of Pokémon here for each of you to befriend. Our first activity is to see who can befriend the most Pokémon in one hour."

"I will befriend all of them!" The boy known as Gary declared by pointing a finger in the sky.

"Not if I get to them first!" Ash formed fists while growling at the boy.

Leaf shook her head before returning to her sketchbook, drawing a Pokémon as usual.

The girl in the pink dress roamed to the edge of the group to get a clearer view of the selection.

No matter what, Mew was determined in getting Ash and the girl to meet.

"And begin!" Professor Oak shouted.

The Pokémon scattered to the four winds. Many ran behind the stage and towards the forest while some decided to hop forward to meet people. Mew eyed the little girl's movement to see she was chasing the Eevee towards the woods. In response, the New Species Pokémon hopped towards the raven-haired boy.

Ash chased a Charmander around the stage until Mew hopped on his head. She lightly tapped his face with her Poliwag tail.

"Hey!" He laughed. "Cut that out!"

Mew grinned as she hopped from his head and towards the forest that the little girl had run off towards.

"Come back here!" Ash gave chase.

Mew occasionally stopped to ensure Ash was still chasing her and to feel the presence of the little girl and following her trail. The New Species Pokémon excitedly hid in a bush.

Through the bush, she could see the little girl, who was wandering aimlessly. Her mouth stretched back towards her ears. Her eyebrows were pulled inward. Her hands hover around her heart.

"Where is everyone?" She paused in the middle of a small clearing. "It's okay, Serena. The scary trees that eat children aren't in the Kanto region." She shivered while covering her mouth. "I had to say something."

Mew found her name funny. She hopped in place while giggling. The bush rustled.

Serena straightened out her body while facing the bush. "Um, hello?" She uttered.

Mew continued hopping in place.

"Anyone there?" Serena shakenly took a few steps towards the bush.

When the honey-blonde girl was close enough, Mew hopped out. "Poliwag!"

Serena screamed while falling to the ground, stomach first. "OW!" She grasped her knee while giving a scared look at Mew.

The New Species Pokémon hopped around the girl happily until she realized what had happened. It appeared that Serena's knee stroke a rock. Mew frown as this wouldn't be the first time this had happened. In response, she hopped closer to Serena.

The honey-blonde squirmed backward and pressed her back up against a tree. Streams of tears fell down her cheeks with her nose became stuffy. "I-I knew I didn't want to come to camp. I wish someone will come help me…MOMMY!"

Mew sighed, unsure of what to do. Luckily for her, Ash was not far behind as far as the New Species Pokémon could tell.

The rustling of a bush caused Serena to shut her eyes.

Emerging from the same bush that Mew hid in was Ash. His eyes widened upon seeing the crying girl. He ignored Mew and kneeled beside Serena.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Serena slowly opened her left eye and then her right. She sighed and then looked at her knee. "I hurt my leg."

Ash gently removed her hands from her knee to see some blood. From his back pocket, he grabbed a blue cloth that he wrapped around the leg. Then he waved his hands over it. "Pain, pain, go away! With my magic spell, you should be able to stand!"

Mew hopped happily in place. Somethings never change.

Serena tried with all her might to stand on her own, but she fell down each attempt. "It's no use! My leg hurts too much."

Mew titled her head. Maybe she gave him too much credit for his age.

"Don't give up until it's over!" Ash stood up while extending his head.

The young girl looked at him in awe. She reached for his hand and before she could brace herself, she was pulled onto her feet and into the arms of her hero.

The two embraced in the middle of the clearing. Neither appeared to want to let go of one another until Serena coyly backed away. Ash had a smile on his face, oblivious to the look she was giving him.

"You stood!" Ash exclaimed.

Mew hopped in circles around the two. She had succeeded in bringing the two together. Happy day for everyone!

"Come on, let's go back to camp." Ash turned to Mew. "Poliwag, care to lead the way?" He held onto Serena's hand. It was cute.

Mew nodded and started to hop, guiding the two through the dense forest. Occasionally, she would turn around to see a mystifying stare from Serena.

"My name is Ash Ketchum," Ash introduced himself. "What's yours?"

"I-I'm Serena. Serena Paschall," she managed to utter.

Upon exiting the forest, Professor Oak and few other adults rushed over to Serena's aid. They wanted to ensure the injury wasn't serious. Ash stayed by her side like a good gentleman. During the commotion, Mew decided to head back to the forest to observe her friends some more. She was glad that the two had found each other.

Ash surveyed the area for the Poliwag that helped them.

Mew pressed her stubby arms against her lips and giggled. She had pulled off many disappearing acts on him and it never got old with his expressions. Her work was done. She transformed back into her original form and teleported away. She couldn't wait to see how those two would leave their mark on the world. For now, onwards to her next adventure.

* * *

**Chapter 1: A Shocking Start **

Serena absentmindedly supported her head with her hand, elbow leaning against an armrest of a couch, and stared into the handsomely, charming Ash Ketchum. His eyes were glued onto the action appearing on the flat-screen TV in Professor Oak's living room. Sitting next to the charming man was Gary and his sister Daisy, equally invested in the action. Leaf appeared to be doodling while Professor Oak sipped his tea.

Everyone was still wearing their lab coats over a t-shirt and jeans. Ever since becoming friends at summer camp, they joined Professor Oak's Lab as interns. More accurately, Ash, Gary, and Leaf joined while Serena was stuck with horrible Rhyhorn Racing practices. It wasn't until her thirteenth birthday where she finally stood up to her mother and joined the rest of the Pallet Squad.

Under the teachings of Professor Oak, they obtained their Pokémon License with Level 4 certification, their Battle License, and their Medical License with Level 1 certification. In short, they were able to own as many Pokémon as they want, participate in official competitions that involved battling, and perform first aid on all types of Pokémon.

Leaf was the oddball out. Instead of obtaining her Battle License, she opted for Level 2 certification under her Medical License, meaning she could perform regular check-ups on Pokémon.

The TV broadcasted the Kanto Championship League finals. Champion Blue was defending his title against Lance of the Elite Four. It had been a fierce match as Serena could tell. Whenever one side managed to get the upper-hand, the other came right back with a vengeance. The final round was between Blue's Blastoise and Lance's Dragonite.

Ash nodded his head with a bright smile. Gary winced at whatever was happening on screen. Daisy appeared to be holding her breath. All of them were on the edge of their seat.

Serena glanced over towards the screen to see Dragonite throwing a series of Thunder Punches against Blastoise's chest.

"Dragon Pulse!" Blue yelled.

Blastoise, who Mega-Evolved earlier in the round, impressively endured the super-effective moves while swinging its giant cannon on its back to create separation. Multi-color energy emanated from the cannons.

"Show them a real Dragon Pulse!" Lance countered.

Dragonite opened its mouth with the same multi-color energy. It fired that energy that turned into a dragon head, likewise with Blastoise's attack.

The attacks clashed in the middle of the field, creating a blinding light. Neither side gave an inch. It felt like an eternity had gone by before a massive explosion enveloped the field. A thick layer of dust covered the cameras, concealing the action.

Gary stood up. "Come on, dad."

Ash crossed his arms as he had an intense stare. Daisy covered her eyes while Leaf finally looked at the screen for the first time since the first round. Professor Oak casually sipped his tea. Serena blinked a few times as the dust finally started to settle on screen.

Dragonite laid on the ground, defeated. Navy confetti rained down in celebration for another successful title defense. The cameras cut to Blue waving to the crowd with Blastoise by his side, reverting back to its original form.

Gary jumped while throwing a fist into the air. Then he turned to Ash. "I guess you owe me a hundred bucks!"

"Lance had the better line-up on paper," Ash remarked while handing their friend a hundred dollar bill.

"You forget, but my dad had been training long and hard," Gary gloated. "He won't lose until your coward of a father returns to face him! Man-to-man!" He pointed at Ash.

Ash scowled at the accusation.

Serena furrowed her eyebrows. She understood why Gary felt that way. The last time Ash's dad was around, he had declined Blue's challenge. That did not excuse his rudeness though.

"Now Gary, that's no way to talk about Red," Professor Oak scolded his grandson. "He has his reasons for not being around. Not to mention, that's highly inaccurate. Red is one of the bravest people I know."

"It's not fair that dad has to wait for his rematch!" Gary blurted out.

Daisy gave a sympathetic look to her brother. "Relax bro. Red is a man of his word and you know that. Whenever the time is right, they'll have their rematch."

Gary closed his eyes and sighed before facing Ash. "I'm sorry. No hard feelings right?"

"Give back my hundred dollars and I can maybe slide this under the rug this time," Ash winked.

"Fat chance!" Gary replied. "You're the one who claimed Lance would beat my dad. I think it's what you deserve. Maybe I'll give it back pending on how our battle goes tomorrow."

Ash chuckled while standing up. "You got yourself a deal!"

Both of them shook hands. Serena shook her head at the exchange. They never seem to have changed with their silly little bets. Although, it appeared that Daisy and Professor Oak had one of their famous eye contact conversations. That never ended well for anyone.

"In any case, congratulations Professor Oak, Daisy, and Gary," Serena stood. "You all must be proud of Champion Blue!"

"Finally, someone who appreciates true talent!" Gary snickered.

Ash sighed while lowering his head. "This'll never end, will it?"

"Cheer up," Leaf spoke. "It could be worst. Gary could have won the Regional League. Then we're all doomed to his insufferable gloating."

"You'll never know," Gary chuckled. "That could very well happen!"

Serena hoped for everyone's sake that doesn't happen. No offense to her friend, but she would much rather see Ash win a Regional League. At least he wouldn't go around the town bragging at every possible moment.

"Indeed," Professor Oak smiled before standing up. "Tomorrow morning will be an exciting moment for us all. I can't wait to learn everyone's research topics."

The honey-blonde blinked. Her heart pounded as her throat began to dry.

Tomorrow marked the start of their promotion as Research Fellows. As part of their long-awaited journeys, they were going to research different aspects of the Pokémon World. Serena had no idea what she wanted to study nor did she have a goal in mind. Unlike Leaf wanting to be a Professor; Gary wanting to become a Champion; and Ash being a Pokémon Master, whatever that meant.

"What Pokémon are you giving us?" Leaf beamed with excitement.

Daisy giggled. "You'll have to be patient a little longer. We don't want to ruin the surprise just yet. Besides, you all should head home and ensure you're all packed."

Leaf frowned. "No fair…" Everyone laughed at the chestnut-haired woman in a loving manner.

Ash, Serena, and Leaf hung their lab coats by the entrance while saying goodbye to the Oaks. A full moon and stars shined brightly above Pallet Town. A gentle breeze swept the area as the trio walked home.

Leaf meandered while pressing her sketchbook to her chest. "Grr…I really wished they had given our Pokémon out tonight. I really want to befriend it and start my research!"

"Same!" Ash ran a little ahead with his arms spread out. "The battle between Gary and me would have been better too, but I suppose fighting with a new partner can be exciting as well."

"I don't see how that's different than using other rental Pokémon," Serena said.

Ash placed his hands behind his head. "It's different because I don't have to give the Pokémon back to Oak. The Pokémon and I can form a bond. That's what I'm looking forward to the most aside learning what you guys want to study."

"The wait is so painful," Leaf sighed while stopping at the interaction.

Serena scratched her head. "Hopefully some last-minute planning will make time go by faster."

"I already planned my journey three times over the past few days," she replied. "I don't think I can plan it any better."

"Well…" Ash looked at Serena. He pointed his head towards Leaf.

Serena nodded with an understanding and smile.

"Are you sure you wanted to travel alone?" Ash continued. "You're more than welcome to join us."

"It would be a blast," Serena added.

Leaf smiled before it vanished in an instant. Her eyes wandered onto the ground. With a finger, she scratched her sketchbook in a circular motion. "Given the fact Ash is doing the Gym Challenge, I doubt you two want me to slow you down. I don't want to be the reason for you to miss a Regional League."

Ash swatted the air. "You wouldn't be a burden at all."

"Even if that was the case, my goals and research conflict against yours," Leaf shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I will decline…"

Serena placed a hand on Ash shoulder, who wanted to object some more. The honey-blonde understood where both were coming from. Ash wanted to travel and have a fun time with his oldest friend while Leaf doesn't want to get in the way of anyone's goals given her habits.

Ash faced Serena before sighing in defeat.

"Always know that you have an invitation to join us whenever," Serena reassured Leaf. "No matter how long you want to travel with us."

Leaf weakly smiled. "Thanks. I'll definitely take you two on that offer. See ya tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow!" Ash and Serena waved goodbye.

Once Leaf was far enough away, the two of them continued walking until they arrived in front of Serena's home. It was surrounded by a white picketed fence with two shelters outside with a sleeping Rhyhorn and a Skiddo. Hung from the porch was a birdhouse with a Fletchling sleeping as well.

"I wish we could talk some more, but…" Ash scratched the back of his head. "I need to finish packing."

"How have you not finish packing by now?" Serena placed her hands on her hip. "The last time you were late, Leaf nearly had a meltdown. Not to mention Gary threw a hissy fit."

"I know, I know," Ash hung his head low. "This years' Championship Leagues had me invested. Every match got me on the edge of my seat. As silly as it sounds, I imagined myself every night of this week being in one of those stadiums and being in the finals to challenge one of the Champions."

Serena smiled at her best friend. He had always dreamed big and had a clear goal in mind ever since they had met. Meanwhile, she had endured Rhyhorn Racing only to not know what she wanted to do. Part of her wanted to stay forever in Pallet Town with her friends. Together, they could make a major discover; however, that was selfish of her when they all had a dream of their own. Her smile faded while she dug a foot into the ground.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

The honey-blonde blinked several times while thinking of how to change the topic. "Uh…It's just I thought I saw Professor Oak and Daisy gave each other the look after the match."

Ash gazed upon the stars. "I don't believe they had given each other the look. If anything I thought they looked rather happy that Blue won but also annoyed because Gary was being rude."

"Maybe it was my imagination," Serena reassured him. "Anyways, why don't you finish packing? You don't want to be late!"

Ash chuckled before embracing Serena in a long hug. The honey-blonde rested her head on his shoulder before the two had to break away. The raven-haired man only lived next door to her. Together, they walked through their gates and opened the doors to their home. Before heading inside, they winked at one another while saluting to one another. Neither had remembered how this tradition of theirs started but knew it was a lot of fun.

Serena took off her shoes, placed them onto a rack, and headed upstairs. She headed to her room and heard the shower running. The honey-blonde decided to double-check her supplies and examined the outfit she wanted to wear while traveling. A nagging feeling developed as she felt as if an important article of clothing was missing.

With a press of a button, the radio turned on. A radio show about Contests played in the background while she browsed through her closet for different options that'll go with her outfit. Whenever an item didn't fit, she would toss it onto her bed. Those that did fit, she kept in her hand. The finalists were a sunhat and a pink felt hat.

A particular name caught her attention. "In a shocking twist, Aria had declined to enter the Super Contest Circuit after an impressive rookie season in the Kalos Region. She's instead heading to the Galar Region where she'll be participating in the regular season Contests there. Will this rising star win another Grand Festival?"

"Yes!" Serena said aloud. She had been a fan of Aria since the now Top Coordinator made her debut earlier this year.

Aria took the world by storm through her stunning performances and tactical wits. Some say she would have won the Grand Festival without the aid of a former Contest Master.

The door swung open with a middle-aged woman named Grace entering the room. She was wearing her pajamas. Her nostrils flared. "Don't tell me you're not done packing."

"You know I've been done packing for days," Serena rolled her eyes. "I just wanted something to go along with my outfit." She held up the finalists. "Left or right?"

Grace turned down the radio before answering. "The right."

Serena tossed the sunhat aside while wearing the felt hat. "Then the left one it is!

"Why did you asked for my opinion when you already know which one you wanted to wear?" Her mother crossed her arms while raising an eyebrow.

Serena performed a twirl while looking into the mirror. "Because the one you didn't pick is the cuter one!"

Grace slapped her forehead. "Anyways, are you excited for tomorrow? Decided upon a topic and career yet?"

The honey-blonde froze. She had thought it was the end of people asking her questions for tonight. Why was coming up with a goal so difficult?

"Besides traveling with Ash, did you think about anything you wanted to do for yourself?" Grace asked. "I didn't stop your Rhyhorn Racing training only to let you wander the world with Ash."

Serena took off the hat before facing her mother. "I know…I had promised you to discover a path that I could truly call my own on that day. Researching Pokémon at the Lab had been a lot of fun. I just thought we would all stay here, but I should have known better."

"Yes, you should have." Grace crossed her arms. "So you haven't given it any thought?"

"I have…just nothing seemed interesting as every topic has been done to death. Then I'm just not sure what I want to accomplish in terms of a goal."

"Just because a topic has been done, it doesn't mean one can't learn something new," Grace sighed. "Furthermore, why don't you become a Stylist or Groomer? Don't you love doing that at the lab? You could aim to become the greatest at pampering Pokémon in the world."

Serena shook her head while placing her hat on her desk. "That sounds really lame compared to everyone else's goals."

"Better than nothing," Grace retorted. "Besides, it's important doing something you know and love. That's what all of your friends are doing after all. Remember, whatever you end up deciding, I'll support you because I love you."

The honey-blonde looked at the floor. "I know…"

"Maybe you'll think of something in your sleep," Grace began walking out the door. "Oh, Delia invited us for breakfast so walk up a little early. Goodnight."

"Night, mom."

When the door closed, Serena picked up the items off her bed and organized them neatly in her closet. She pondered what she could do in the world. Many possibilities out there, but her mind kept wandering back to Ash and how she didn't want a goal that meant being separated from him. Many cities with Gyms also had a Contest Hall. Maybe she could be a Coordinator.

The thought of being one intrigued her; however, going up against many established Coordinators sounded like a nightmare. She would need a miracle to even make it past the first round. Let alone the complex battling style was different than her experience battling. She laid in her bed, trying to figure out if she would be any good at all.

The next morning, Serena dressed in a hot pink trench coat over a blue sleeved undershirt and black leggings. The finishing touch was the pink felt hat. Upon completing the outfit, she stroke a pose in the mirror.

Her door creaked opened with Fletchling hopping inside and flapping its tiny wings to Serena's shoulder. "Fletchling…" It lowered its head with a frown.

Serena gently petted it. She recalled all the times the Tiny Robin Pokémon had pecked her awake. On the one hand, she was glad she no longer had to endure that pain. On the other, she knew that it was one of Fletchling's favorite activities in the house. "Don't be sad. You could always peck mom if you wanted."

"Fletchling!" It happily chirped. Let's see how she likes being pecked too.

Quickly, she grabbed her backpack and headed down the stairs to see her mother wearing a sweater around her waist, a grey shirt, and sweat pants.

"Here I thought Fletchling was going to get one last peck," Grace laughed.

Serena pouted. "And ruin my beautiful face on an important day? I think not."

Grace swatted the air. "Have everything?"

"I double-checked last night before going to bed."

Grace opened the door where Rhyhorn and Skiddo were waiting in the yard. The Goat Pokémon rushed up to the honey-blonde.

"Skiddo! Skiddo!" It galloped in place before nuzzling her legs.

Serena crouched down and petted Skiddo while guiding it back into the yard so her mom could lock the doors.

Rhyhorn approached the honey-blonde and began licking her face, tickling it in the process. "Rhyhorn!"

"Oh I'll miss you guys while I'm on my journey," Serena said while touching on of Skiddo's horns.

The Goat Pokémon frowned with tears forming around its eyes. "Skiddo…"

Serena realized that it read her emotions. She was certainly sad to leave her them behind but excited to see the world. She embraced the Pokémon while patting its leafy mane. "Don't worry, Skiddo. I'll be back to see you again someday and I promise that'll we play again then!"

Skiddo smiled and began running around the yard in joy.

The women laid out Pokémon food before heading next door. They rang the doorbell and waited until Delia, a woman of similar age to Grace, opened the door wearing a pink top and purple skirt. The aroma of food carried itself outside. Serena's stomach growled at how amazing it smelled.

"Morning everyone, come right in," Delia said while backing up.

Grace gave her a hug. "Morning Delia, I see Ash haven't scarfed down the food yet."

"Morning, Delia," Serena said. "Is Ash even awake yet?"

Delia laughed. "I had Mr. Mime do that already dear. He should be down any moment. I hope you don't mind coming here so early, I just wanted to make sure he doesn't wander off."

"You can count on me!" Serena smirked.

Sure enough, Ash came rushing down. He wore an athletic blue jacket, a black undershirt, and a pair of jeans. He stopped midway through the stairs. "Morning Ms. Paschall and Serena. I wasn't expecting to see you here this morning."

"I invited them, dear," Delia said.

Grace shook her head. "How many times do I need to say you can call me Grace?"

Ash scratched his head. "Sorry. It's still odd-even after all these years."

Serena played with her hair. "Hey Ash, how do I look?"

"You look great!" He simply said before showing off his outfit. "How about me? Mom made this outfit. Pretty cool right?"

Serena beamed. While it was a basic compliment, Ash had never been known to compliment people based on looks. She took victory whenever he did comment, prompted or not. "You look dashing! Delia always has wonderful tastes in fashion!"

"I heard that!" Grace remarked.

Ash impatiently rushed to the kitchen table where four plates of pancakes were set. Serena sat next to Ash while the mothers sat across from them. They enjoyed the meal while discussing the different tourist attractions across the Kanto Region. Mr. Mime ate a bowl of Pokémon food and then it helped clean up the kitchen. Everyone gathered at the entrance of the house after Ash grabbed his backpack.

"Do you have everything, Ash?" Delia asked him. "Including you know what?" She said in more of an audible whisper.

"Mom!" Ash cried out in embarrassment. "Of course I do."

Serena tried not to burst out laughing so she giggled instead. Her laughing stopped when her mother approached Ash and placing her hands upon his shoulder.

"I'm happy to know that my sweet girl will be traveling with someone I can trust. However!" She pressed him against a wall. "If I ever find out you abandoned her or hurt her, I will hunt you down with my Rhyhorn and none of your Pokémon will be able to stop me! Understand?"

Ash gulped before nodding. Talk about embarrassing. Serena was a grown adult of eighteen of age. She could take care of herself.

"Good!" Grace patted Ash's shoulders.

"I'm going to miss you, sweetie," Delia gave Ash a hug.

"I'll miss you too mom!" Ash replied. "I love you."

"Remember what we talked about," Grace gave Serena a hug.

Serena nodded. "I will. Love you!"

"Love you too, honey."

The teens waved goodbye to their mothers and made their way towards Professor Oak's Lab. Ash along the way looked at awe at every possible Pokémon nearby despite seeing them probably a million times already. Serena did her best to keep him on track by telling him about his partner Pokémon.

Before long, they arrived at the familiar hill with a flight of stairs leading to the lab at top. Entering the building, the walked down a hallway and into a wide-open area. It had some bookshelf of books on the second level with all sorts of computer equipment lined against the wall. In the center was a circular table with holographic technology surrounded by four other regular tables that served as desks.

Professor Oak, Daisy, Gary, and Leaf were already waiting by the circular table.

"Look who's on time for once," Gary chuckled. He sported a black jacket over a white t-shirt and cargo pants.

Leaf slapped her forehead. "To be fair, I doubt he would be here if Serena wasn't with him." Her hair was in a high ponytail with a green hat with a Pokéball symbol. She wore a green and white hoodie over a black shirt with green lines and had black leggings with a green stripe down the side.

Ash lightly chuckled. "Well, I didn't want to delay our journeys after all. Besides, we have a score to settle right?" He faced Gary while pumping his fists.

"Hehe," Gary laughed. "Definitely. I'll show the world, starting today that an Oak can beat a Ketchum."

Serena gave Leaf a hug along with Daisy. "Shall we get started?"

Professor Oak nodded. "I see we're all fired up and ready for this joyous day. It seemed like yesterday when three of you started helping out at my lab before all four of you joined. Thank you for all of your hard work over the years. Without you, I don't know where I would be with my research. I will miss you while you're on your respective journeys though I think the Pokémon in the back will miss you more."

Serena looked at each of her friends who all looked back and to each other. She thought about the fun times she had her with her friends and she suspected they were all doing the same.

"As you all know, I'm promoting you four to Research Fellow. As such, you will have access to my databases and equipment." The Professor turned to Daisy, who guided everyone to the desk that formerly belonged to Gary. Four trays of laptops, smartphones, Pokéballs, and pieces of paper.

Daisy went around the table to present the items. "We're providing everyone with the latest technology. Laptops for your notes. Smartphones so everyone can stay in contact with one another. They're already programmed with everyone's numbers and family. It'll also serve as your Pokédex among other apps."

"Legally, you can only have six Pokémon on hand," Professor Oak said. "When you capture more than six, it'll be transported here where we'll take care of them. Of course, you don't have to send the one you just captured here. Your phone will prompt you on which one to send here; however, you'll need to be at a Pokémon Center to properly rotate your Pokémon. Any questions so far?"

Everyone shook their head. Everything seemed straight forward for now.

"Before we introduce you to your Pokémon, why don't we reveal your topics?" The Professor faced Gary.

Gary flicked his hair. "I want to study Pokémon evolution. The different conditions for a Pokemon to evolve and what it means for that Pokémon's growth."

Serena never would have guessed that would be his goal. She figured it would have been how to train a Pokémon to be the strongest.

"Ah, sounds like Professor Rowan's area of study," Professor Oak remarked. "He believes that all Pokémon are connected in some way through evolution. I look forward to seeing what my grandson can uncover." His eyes gazed upon Leaf.

"I want to study Pokémon physique!" She placed her hands upon her hip. "How they adapt to the environment and the differences within a region compared to other regions. I especially want to study regional variants like Alolan Raichu and Galarian Ponyta!"

Serena smirked at her topic. It made perfect sense given her fascination for drawing. One day she hoped to meet a Galarian Ponyta too. It was so cute.

Daisy giggled. "Definitely a thrilling topic that we haven't scratch the surface yet in research despite Professor Ivy's efforts. Maybe you'll beat her to the punch on the topic!"

Ash pumped out his chest. "I want to study Pokémon Potential and what makes a Pokémon strong! Is it all-natural, through evolution, or maybe with the help of a talented Trainer?"

That sounded like his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master. Could a master bring out a Pokémon's full potential? Part of his dream started to make a little more sense. Still, his research topic was very broad.

Professor Oak smiled while shaking his head. "A timeless debate. You'll probably find many people with differing opinions so be careful of not straying away from your opinion. I wonder where you'll lean in that spectrum; though, I already have a pretty good educated guess." He faced the honey-blonde. "And Serena?"

Serena played with her fingers while gazing at the marble flooring. She thought long and hard prior to falling asleep though she wasn't sure what everyone will think of her. She took a deep breath before looking up at the professor. "Um…Professor Oak, I was wondering if I could help Ash with his topic."

Everyone looked at her with a shocked expression, including Ash. They looked at one another before turning to the Professor, who had his arms crossed and appeared to be deep in thought with his eyes closed. Silence filled the room until Professor Oak was ready.

"You had a long time to think of a topic," he began, opening his eyes and sighing.

The honey-blonde prepared herself for a lecture. She should have figured it was a terrible idea. Now everyone will think less of her.

"However, I can understand the difficulty in finding a topic of interest so I'll authorize it as long as Ash is okay with the assistance."

Serena gave Ash her best puppy-dog eyes in a desperate plea.

Her best friend scratched the back of his head while awkwardly laughing. "Of course! It'll be fun working with Serena."

Serena dove in for a hug. Her heart fluttered as she was saved! "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Hold on!" Professor Oak continued that caused Serena to let go. "While I'm fine with this arrangement, for now, I think it's important for you to discover a topic for yourself. Being on a journey should inspire you in many ways than being at home. I'm giving you a month from now to think of a topic again. By then, you must choose something different from Ash, Gary, and Leaf. We can always change it if need be. Understand?"

The honey-blonde nodded. "I'll find something. Don't you worry." She hoped. Though, the Professor's words were also wise when it came to being inspired outside of being home.

"Now without further a due, Daisy will gift you your Pokémon!" Professor Oak looked at his granddaughter.

Daisy smiled. "We handpicked these Pokémon specifically for you. I believe you'll recognize them." Everyone looked at one another with a grin, wondering who'll they see. "Let's start with you, bro!"

The burnet handed him a Pokéball. He tossed it into the air. With a flash of light, a Squirtle materialized on the floor. It placed its tiny paws against its hips while pumping out its chest.

"Squirtle!" It said.

"No way!" Gary crouched down. "You're giving me the one I accidentally hatched?"

The Squirtle jumped into Gary's arms. They embraced in a hug with the brown-haired man standing up. They performed a little twirl with Professor Oak and Daisy smiling.

"We figured you would want to follow in dad's footsteps," Daisy said. "Plus, that one wouldn't have gone to another Trainer considering it views you as a parental figure."

"Does that mean Gary is a father?" Serena joked. Ash and Leaf laughed out loud.

Gary shrugged it off. "Together, we'll become the number one team in the world! Thanks, Gramps and Sis!"

Leaf was up next. From her Pokéball, a Bulbasaur appeared. It was quick to nuzzle against Leaf's leg. The chestnut-haired woman grabbed her sketchbook from her bag and flipped through the pages.

"It can't be!" She exclaimed. "You're the same Bulbasaur who helped me when I fell down that creek!" She showed every one of her drawings and sure enough the spots on Bulbasaur's body were an exact match.

"Saur!" The Bulbasaur admired the drawing while sending one of its vines upward to grab her attention.

Professor Oak chimed in. "I remember at a young age that you liked Bulbasaurs. This particular one had never liked any of the Trainers we presented so I figured we try you. So far, I'm happy we made that decision.

Leaf lowered herself and petted it. "We're going to make a ton of friends. Thanks, Professor and Daisy!"

Daisy motioned Serena to the table next. Excitement filled Serena's body. Instead of tossing it, she pressed the center button. Appearing before her was an Eevee. It began to frolic around Serena's feet. With every third step, it performed a twirl. It was not just any Eevee, but the same one who she tried to befriend during her first summer camp in Pallet Town.

Serena picked up the Evolution Pokémon and spun around while lifting it into the air. No words could describe how happy she felt about this decision. "I can't believe we'll be traveling together!"

"Vee!" It wagged its tail.

"Given how much you helped this Eevee over the years, we figured it would want to join you on your journey," Daisy remarked.

"Thank you!" Serena beamed in front of both of her mentors. She held Eevee close to her body, hugging it and returning to the line.

Ash approached the table. Daisy frowned to everyone's confusion. She pointed towards Professor Oak who held a Pokéball with a special thunderbolt emblem on the face of it. He stepped in front of Ash.

"Now Ash, this Pokémon is different compared to the others." He paused. "This Pokémon has been recently saved by a Pokémon Guardian."

Pokémon Guardians were a group of people who saves Pokémon from cruel Trainers. The four teenagers were no stranger to the idea of Professor Oak receiving Pokémon with terrible pasts. Usually, Daisy and/or Professor Oak helped the Pokémon get accustomed to the ranch with Ash occasionally helping them out. Ash even had a special license to help out abused Pokémon because of it.

Serena furrowed her eyebrows. It seemed strange they would give Ash an abused Pokémon, regardless of his track record. Surely one of those Pokémon would love to be Ash's partner.

Ash stared at the Pokéball intently and then he glanced over at Gary, who was gritting his teeth. "In all due respect Professor, but why are you giving it to me? Haven't you and Daisy had success with it?"

"Unfortunately, my attempts ended up in disaster," Daisy answered. "Whenever I tried to connect with it, it tried to shock me. Whenever I left it alone on the ranch, it got into a shuffle with some Pokémon."

Professor Oak nodded. "Same with me, I'm afraid. According to the report, its previous Trainer would inflict some kind of status effect on it as some kind of punishment. Based on medical reports, it's been poisoned for long periods of time as well as burned." He sighed. "We believe you might be able to open its heart."

Serena closed her eyes while holding Eevee tightly. No Pokémon deserves to be treated that way. Opening her eyes, she could see Leaf feeling the same way. Gary, on the other hand, appeared to be furious. Though, he might be furious for a different reason as well.

Ash took the Pokéball from Professor Oak's hand. He looked at it for a moment before walking over to a small clearing in the lab. He pressed the button and appearing was a Pikachu.

Pikachu observed its surroundings. Upon seeing Ash, its cheeks sparked while being on all fours. "Pika!"

Gary wanted to say something when Professor Oak stopped him.

Serena's heart pounded. Something told her that Pikachu was trouble. Leaf took a step back.

Ash looked at the Mouse Pokémon. Amazingly, he was not afraid of it sparking its cheeks. Her best friend took off his backpack and tossed it to the side while sitting on the floor with his legs crossed.

The honey-blonde would have thought there would have been more talking involved.

"Pika!" It warned again. The sparks became more erratic.

Ash continued to look at it before glancing at the Pokéball. In one swift motion, he tossed the Pokéball back towards the group where Daisy caught it. Everyone was confused. Even Pikachu stopped sparking.

"Pikachu?" It titled its head.

"You hate the Pokéball," Ash said. "So no Pokéball. I'm Ash, your new Trainer. It's nice to meet you!"

How did he know it didn't like the Pokéball by sitting down?

Pikachu looked at Ash and then it glanced at everyone else. Its cheeks began sparking once again. "Pika…"

That was not enough goodwill. Its previous Trainer must have done a number on its trust. How will Ash overcome something that wasn't his fault?

Ash sat there in silence, probably pondering his next move. He reached out his hands as if he was going to give it a hug. That's when Pikachu launched a Thunder Shock. Ash barely had enough time to react and duck as the electrical attack hit the ceiling.

Gary grabbed the Pokéball from Daisy's hand and aimed red beams in an attempt to return it. Pikachu evaded each of it with its next attack being an Electro Ball aimed at Gary.

Professor Oak tackled his grandson on the ground as the attack broke through a window.

Leaf and Serena scrambled away together, terrified of the rampaging Pokémon.

Squirtle retaliated with Bubble.

With a Quick Attack, Pikachu avoided the attack and bashed its head into Squirtle, sending it flying.

Bulbasaur caught the flying Pokémon with its vines.

Pikachu launched a series of electrical attacks causing Bulbasaur to continue moving with Squirtle in tow. The electrical attacks hit practically everything in sight.

Eevee sprang into action, breaking free of Serena's hold.

"Wait!" Serena cried out to her Pokémon.

With a wink, it blew a heart-shaped kiss towards Pikachu when its back was turned around. The Attract hit its mark and pink energy consumed the electric-type.

Pikachu was completely infatuated with Eevee as it cuddled with it, ending the crisis.

Serena had a sigh of relief, but happy that Eevee was able to stop Pikachu. She crouched down to pet it. "Great work!"

"Vee!" It barked while licking its Trainer's face.

Ash scratched the back of his head while sighing. "I guess this will take some time."

"Time?" Gary angrily said after standing up, rubbing an elbow. "You still want to befriend it after it tried to hurt everyone and ruin the lab? I say it's better off in the wild!"

"Let's see you try better, Gary!" Serena placed her hands on her hips. "Didn't you hear Ash say it hated its Pokéball?"

"It doesn't matter if I try or you and Leaf!" Gary retorted. "This Pikachu clearly doesn't want to be around humans. Not to mention a terrible idea to give to anyone of us, including Ash."

Daisy crossed her arms. "No need to be rude when it came to saving Pikachu's life. If we can't find a way to open it up, then we have no choice but to put it down."

Professor Oak rubbed the back of his neck. "Perhaps Gary might be right about this one. An isolated location could be more beneficial."

"Hang on," Leaf chimed in. "It's not fair that Ash only got a few minutes in attempting to bond with it as opposed to Professor Oak and Daisy having multiple attempts. I agree with him that he needs a little more time. Considering what its previous Trainer did to it, I doubt having all of us here is beneficial for Ash."

"It's fine," Daisy sighed. "We can always keep attempting and then bring it to an isolated location to see how it fairs. In the meantime, we can get a Pokémon from the back or make some calls."

Ash shook his head surprisingly. "Honestly, I want to give it another shot. Not to mention, bringing to someplace in the wild defeats the purpose as another Trainer could find it and end up getting hurt. Potentially the wild Pokémon would also be in danger if it can't get along with anyone here. Please, Professor Oak, let me take care of it for a while."

Serena admired her best friend's determination. It bothered her that Daisy and Professor Oak didn't ask him earlier for help, but she supposed they were trying to get used to the idea of Ash being gone.

The Professor sighed after staring into Ash's eyes. "If you're sure, I'll allow it. If it becomes too much, call me immediately and we'll arrange a new Pokémon with you."

Gary formed fists while stomping the ground. He must have been mad that his battle with Ash had to be postponed until Ash managed to get Pikachu under control or receive a new Pokémon, whichever ended up happening.

Leaf looked at her Pokédex with Serena looking over her shoulder. According to the Pokédex, it appeared to be an average Pikachu in size and every possible way. Why did the Trainer put it through so much punishment?

"Promise!" Ash gave a thumbs up. Then he looked over at Eevee and Pikachu. "Um, Professor…how long does Attract last?" That was a very good question.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I know it's an odd place to stop, but I didn't want this chapter to be too long and I wanted to establish the world as well as characters. If you like what you see, consider giving this story a follow.**

**Fair warning: I plan on being unique and different but generally its to improve certain ideas that the anime had. Like I said earlier, I'll be following a lot of familiar beats but it will be presented differently. If this bothers you in any way, just don't read my story. You'll most likely not enjoy the rest of my story because I want to build on the source material instead of following it note for note. If you want a more fateful adaption, I suggest you read a different story.**

**Asking me questions**

**Feel free to PM me questions you might have or leave them in a review. Don't expect spoilers from me. I will clarify anything to you and probably answer the questions at the beginning of the next part if I believe it was a confusing aspect. I'll try to answer my creative differences after the chapter as well. **

**Reviews**

**Up to you if you want to provide one. You can also PM a review too. I'll never threaten the readers over it. They'll be helpful for me to know if the direction I'm heading is interesting, good, or bad and how my writing can improve. I understand not every one of my ideas or chapters will be winners and some will not be people's favorites. If you want to provide a review, I would like to know your general impressions. What you liked and disliked and how I can improve whether that's the elements of writing a story or world-building or plot-wise. I appreciate any feedback you can provide. Just don't be rude about it if you really want to see improvements as that's not being critical.**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: How often do I plan on uploading?**

**My current plan is once a week on Saturdays. If I don't post on Saturday, then it means I'm still working on a chapter as I might have gotten busy during the week unexpectedly. Generally, I will try to make it known when I might have to skip a week. Please be respectful of my time as I do have a full-time job. **

**Q: Will I adapt the movies?**

**Sort of. I don't want to force the movies into my story so some might not be able to make it in; however, I don't exactly plan on copying and pasting the plot of the movies into this story. I have plans and ideas. Some movies might be combined for one specific arc while others have a different plot associated with them while maintaining the core ideas and themes. Chapter 7 is where you'll get a better understanding of what I mean.**

**Q: Why am I pushing Serena to do Contests instead of Showcases?**

**I don't find Showcases to be particularly interesting to read and write. There's not a whole lot I can do to make it interesting without basically rewriting the fundamentals of the competition to include some sort of action which I think breaks it the concept. Instead, I decided Contests was going to be the route I wanted Serena to take part in as I would be able to show growth more clearly. Showcases also don't exist in my world as it doesn't really fit. Aria is still Kalos Queen because of the media.**

**Q: What are Super Contests? What about the other Contest Girls?**

**Top Coordinators need to do something after winning a Grand Festival. It will be a higher level of difficulty with some format changes. I don't have every single detail ironed out. It's also my solution to differentiate the other Contest Girls in term of skills and goals.**

**Q: Why did Serena get an Eevee? Will it evolve?**

**Eevee is practically the second mascot of Pokemon so I figured it would work for this fic as I don't plan on sending her starter to the box. Yes, it will evolve.**

**Q: Will I have Brock and Misty do something other than being supporting characters?**

**Yes and no. They do have focused chapters to themselves, but for the most part, Ash and Serena will be the main characters. I will only tease one thing right now if you don't believe me is that Misty has a full battle planned.**

**Q: How am I handling Gym Battles if I'm saying its the Gym Challenge?**

**Well, it's basically the same, except it's more of a sporting event compared to the anime. Every gym battle will be in front of a crowd of people and Ash and Serena will get fans for their respected competitions over time. I will also say that there's a ramp-up in difficulty in the Gym system.**

**Q: What's the point of the licenses and the level associated with them?**

**It's me world-building. I understand it's rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but for a Pokemon License, it's proof that you can own them as pets and the level determines how many you can handle. Like Level 1 allows a person to own 1 while Level 2 allows up to 3. Battle License not only allows people to part-take in official battles but recognition of the responsibilities for having Pokemon battle. People can still battle without one btw. Medical License is tricky as technically its one of three types of healthcare licenses with the other two being Surgical and Mental Health. The Levels determine the level of severity that a person can treat a Pokemon. Like Level 1 is first aid while Level 5 being a very serious illness. There's also certification for each type. More will be explained later.**

**Q: Why isn't Rotom in their devices?**

**I didn't like the Rotom dex in Sun and Moon and currently, they don't add anything in the anime. I also didn't want to make it a character. **


	2. Rainbow of Beginnings

**Chapter 2: Rainbow of Beginnings**

Ash swept up the broken glass off the floor. Occasionally he would glance over by Pikachu who had been enthralled by Eevee. Together, they were harmlessly playing with each other while his friends helped to pick up the mess that Pikachu had made. He wondered if there was a way to get through the storm of the electric mouse's heart.

The raw hatred and anger were fresh in his mind. He understood that its previous trainer was horrible in every possible way, but Pikachu, nor any Pokémon, should take their anger out on everyone else. Bad people will always exist, but there was a lot of good in the world too.

The Pallet Squad gathered around the circular table after tightening the place up. Bulbasaur and Squirtle were returned to their respective balls.

Gary was further apart from the group than usual. His arms were crossed and his eyes furrowed. He grunted whenever anyone talked to him while staring at the holographic image of a map of Kanto.

Professor Oak rubbed the back of his neck while looking at Ash, probably having some reservations of the young man taking a dangerous Pokémon. "I must apologize to each of you." He glanced at each person while gazing particularly at Gary. "I know this isn't how you all envisioned the beginning of your journeys, especially to Gary and Ash as I know you two wanted to battle."

Gary placed his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes. "It's fine, Gramps." He sighed. "Pikachu's previous trainer must have done a number on its trust in people. I understand you were just looking out for it." He turned to face Ash. "I truly hope Pikachu will open up."

"Thanks, Gary," Ash smiled. "When I do, we'll have our battle."

"It'll still be for that hundred bucks," Gary snickered. "So, you better be ready!"

Professor Oak chuckled while picking up several pieces of paper and handing it out to everyone. "These are letters of endorsements for any prestigious competitions you might want to participate in."

"We already registered Ash and Gary for the Gym Challenge," Daisy added. "Starting today, both of you have about six months to obtain all eight badges."

"Despite being sons of legends, you two have to start at the bottom as rookies," Professor Oak frowned. "As such, don't expect star treatment everywhere you go and remember that winning battles and minor competitions will help to raise your ranking."

The Pokémon League classified trainers into different Trainer Classes based on skills. No matter what, one was placed in the Rookie Trainer class since one's official record was 0-0 and no accomplishments. Ranking up was a matter of having a good record and accomplishments for becoming a Trainer and Seasoned Trainer class.

Beyond Seasoned Trainer were the Challenger, Ace Trainer, and Star Trainer classes. This bracket of classes was usually invited to tougher competitions like the World Championship Circuit, Battle Frontiers, and Regional Championship Leagues. Among these classes, it was all about accomplishments and who one beats along with recognition from the Pokémon League Association (PLA).

A rigorous system, but one Ash was determined to climb the ranks in order to fulfill his dream.

"I bet I will rank up before you," Gary chuckled.

Ash crossed his arms. It would be easier for him considering Ash needed to help Pikachu first. That could take days in itself. Not a fair bet at all. Still, it was annoying that he's already behind Gary. "We'll see."

"Before you all leave," Professor Oak motioned Daisy who had a gift bag in her hand. "We have some parting gifts for each of you." He reached into the bag and pulled out a yin-yang necklace with a particular gem in the center of it. "Gary, this is from your father. He wanted you to have it as a reminder that the key of any good team is balance."

Gary held out his hands as the necklace was gently placed in his hands. His eyes twitched while examining the gem in the middle. "No way. Is this his Keystone too?"

Daisy nodded. "He figured you wanted to explore Mega-Evolution and hopes you'll find a corresponding stone for your Pokémon. You should give him a call later."

Gary slipped on the necklace with a smile. "Don't worry because I will. Thanks, Gramps and Sis."

Professor Oak reached inside the bag once again to pull out an old notebook full of different post-it notes and handed it to Leaf. "Here's my old notebook of drawings of different Pokémon. Perhaps, you'll find it useful for your research."

"I promise to take good care of it!" Leaf shakily held onto the book. Her eyes lit up and she appeared as if she wanted to cry tears of joy. "I can't wait to read it!"

The Professor once again pulled an item from the bag. This time, it was a red hat with a white arc in the front. Instead of looking old like Ash remembered, it looked brand new. Maybe it was freshly bought. "Ash, your dad wanted you to have his hat. He had it restored and everything."

Ash held onto the hat and stared at it. For the past eight years, he hadn't seen him in person and rarely spoke to him ever since going on a journey. One that had his mother worried at times. It was hard to believe he went through all that trouble to get a hat restore. Still, it warmed Ash's heart. "Did he say anything else?"

"That he loves you and he'll be watching when he can," Professor Oak answered. "He also wanted it to be a reminder to focus on what's in front of you instead of everything around you."

The raven-haired man placed the hat onto his head. "How do I look?" He asked Serena.

His best friend giggled. "Even more handsome if that was possible."

Ash grinned. There was no way he could lose with his dad's lucky hat.

"We haven't forgotten about you, Serena," Daisy stepped forward with the bag and handed it off to the honey-blonde.

Serena looked inside with her jaw dropped. "Woah! There are so many cute accessories for Pokémon in here."

Daisy giggled. "I used to dress up my Pokémon. I figured you and your Eevee will find some use for it along with any other Pokémon you'll find."

"That's so thoughtful of you!" Serena beamed. "I'll be sure to send you lots of pictures."

The burnet girl winked. "Looking forward already." Then she gave her little brother a hug. "I'll miss you, bro. Don't do anything too crazy on the road."

"If you should be saying that to anyone, it should be Ash," Gary remarked.

Ash rolled his eyes, but what Gary was saying was untrue considering Pikachu's behavior.

"Don't be a stranger now," Professor Oak chuckled. "You can call me for anything and being affiliated with my lab can open doors that would be normally closed. Also, remember that Pokémon are your friends first and not the subjects of a study."

"We will," the Pallet Squad said in unison. "Bye Daisy! Bye Professor!" Gary said 'Gramps' and 'Sis' instead.

The Pallet Squad gathered their belongings and walked out the front door and down a flight of stairs. Pikachu followed Eevee's lead. Waiting at the bottom was a group of women with a red car. They waved at the group with only Gary waving back.

"There's my ride," Gary said at the bottom of the stairs with the rest of the group stopping about midway with their jaws wide open. "Leaf, I look forward to seeing some amazing drawings of Pokémon that don't roam around Pallet Town and seeing what you uncover as a Pokémon Watcher."

"T-Thanks, Gary," Leaf responded while glancing between the woman and herself. "Uh…good luck with your Gym Challenge."

Gary snickered. "Serena, I hope Ash doesn't get you into too much trouble and that you'll discover a topic for yourself in due time."

Serena nodded with an awkward smile. "Thanks. I'll be rooting for you in your matches."

The man nodded back. "And Ash…" He stared at Ash with a pause. "Be ready because I won't hold back!"

"I won't hold back either!" Ash smirked. "Good luck in your matches."

"Humph," Gary chuckled. "I don't need any luck. I'm the great Gary Oak! If anyone here needs the luck, it'll be you, Ashy-boy. Smell ya later!" He waved with his back turned to the group and got into the car before driving off.

Serena turned to Leaf. "Since when does Gary know those people?"

Leaf shrugged. "I suppose being the son of a champion and grandson of a renowned professor have their perks."

Ash bit his lips. That Gary made him mad with that nickname. In no way he was still a boy. "I'll show that Gary who needs all the luck in the world!"

"Cool it there hotshot," Leaf said while continuing her way down the stairs. "You'll need a little luck in getting Pikachu to turn over a new Nuzleaf. Do you even have a plan on getting it to open up?"

"Sort of," he replied while scratching his cheek. "I was thinking about the fields before Route 1 would be a good place to start. It might feel more at ease than being in a town or city. There I should be able to talk to it some more."

"Is that how you helped every other Pokémon at the lab?" Serena asked.

Ash always forgets that his friends never seen him deal with the abused Pokémon. Usually, he was with Daisy or Professor Oak in an isolated location while his friends had other duties. They pleaded to help many times, but the Professor never allowed it for a reason that could be summed up as Pikachu's mini assault on the lab moments ago. Still, he wondered why they didn't ask him for help earlier in the week.

"Like I keep saying, I understand what they're feeling," he began. "I tell the Pokémon a story and try to relate to it. Once it has an understanding of who I am, they usually open up. I got a little careless with Pikachu because I didn't want to let Gary down with our battle."

Leaf scratched her chin while standing by a bike rake with her bike. "Hmm. It still sounds like hocus pocus to me, but I'm curious to know what you felt with Pikachu."

"Hard to describe," Ash looked at Pikachu who was still chasing Eevee around Serena's feet. He wanted to recall the feeling, but Attract actually made Pikachu happy. "There was definitely hatred and anger, but I think behind that was sadness that created more of a numb feeling. Nothing I've ever seen or felt before so it'll be a little tricky." An idea formulated in his mind, causing him to snap his fingers. "Do you want to help, Leaf?"

His childhood friend pondered the thought while sheepishly looking at the ground. "Honestly, I would like to see how you manage to befriend such a rampant Pokémon; however, I think the smallest possible group would be better for this situation. I think I would be in your way given how it reacted to everyone."

Ash frowned and crossed his arms. Another one of his attempts to get her to join them had failed. He was starting to think she didn't like him as much as she used to when they were kids. Maybe he was late one too many times. Before he went further down that rabbit hole, Serena wrapped an arm around his neck.

"Don't worry, Leaf," she said. "We understand. I'll make sure that Ash isn't barbecued by Pikachu. Right Eevee?"

"Vee!" It barked.

Ash was grateful to know his best friend was going to be with him. He was still bummed out that Leaf wasn't going to join, but excited to see what the world had in store for him.

Leaf unhooked her bike with a frown. "I feel really bad about this, but I think it's for the best. Call me if you want some extra brainstorming power. I'll do my best to pick up and um…please tell me when you have a match at one of the Gyms. I'll try my best to keep up with them."

Ash smiled as it means that she cares about him still. Leaf normally didn't care about the Gym Challenge or battles in general regardless of whoever was participating. "Of course! I appreciate the support."

"And I'm assuming we should tell you about Gary's matches too," Serena added with Leaf nodding in response. "I gotcha covered as long as the next time we meet up, you'll draw pretty pictures of our Pokémon!"

"Deal!" Leaf laughed before hopping on her bike. "Good luck to you both and see you around!"

"Bye Leaf!" Ash and Serena waved goodbye as she rode away.

When they turned around, they saw Pikachu fanning Eevee with a giant leaf. Where did that leaf even come from? Ash checked his phone to see that about twenty minutes had passed since Pikachu was put under Eevee's spell.

"Maybe I should talk to Eevee about not abusing Attract's power…" Serena said.

"Probably a good idea," Ash remarked.

* * *

Ash sat in the grassy field, leaning against his backpack, and browsing through the various apps on his phone. He checked the Castform Weather app that had tiny icons of Castform and its various weather forms to indicate the weather. It appeared it was going to rain in several hours. The other app he spent time looking through was the VS Seeker. The app allowed Trainers to find people with similar skill levels to battle and it'll house battle data.

Occasionally, he would look over at Pikachu who was chasing Eevee. He estimated that it took about a half-hour for the effects of Attract to wear off due to Pikachu breaking free on the way over. Soon, the electric mouse would be free and he would have to figure out how to open its heart.

He decided it was time to check the Pokédex to learn more about his new Pokémon. _Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs. When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity can build and cause lightning storms._

_Gender: Male_

_Ability: Lightning Rod_

_Nature: Lonely_

"Interesting," Ash frowned while he turned to Serena who was sitting upon a rock. "Apparently Pikachu has a hidden ability. Perhaps its pervious trainer kept it around because of it."

Serena furrowed her brows. "That's still no excuse to torturing the poor Pokémon."

Ash shrugged. "I doubt having a hidden ability would be cause for any cruel punishments. Something else must have happened." He looked at Pikachu and Eevee more closely. "It makes me curious about Eevee."

Despite the Evolution Pokémon being at the lab, he hadn't interacted with it as often as Serena.

Serena patted the spot next to her as she pulled out her Pokédex. _Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. Its genetic makeup is highly irregular that allows it to evolve in a variety of ways pending on the environment, exposure to special stones, and happiness._

_Gender: Female_

_Ability: Anticipation_

_Nature: Quirky _

The honey-blonde's eyes widened. "I didn't think Eevee had a hidden ability."

"Yeah," Ash chuckled. "I thought it had the Run Away ability since it kept running away from everyone."

"It makes me feel better that it had been at the lab this entire time instead of in the clutches of abusive people," Serena sighed.

Ash nodded in agreement. It was horrible that some people in this world would experiment on Pokémon or hunt them down for profit. He always needed to remind himself that Rangers and Guardians exist to put a stop to those plans.

"Oh," Serena clapped her hands. She grabbed a dish bowl from her bag and opened a can of Pokémon food to pour into the bowl. "Ta-da! I thought Pikachu might be hungry after all the running around Eevee had been doing. Maybe it could be a peace offering."

Ash took the bowl with a smile. "Good idea." He checked his phone and he still had some time left before Pikachu would come to its senses. "While we wait, I was wondering what made you decide to help me with my topic? We all agreed beforehand not to reveal our topics until today. How did you know you would enjoy helping me?"

His best friend started to play with her hair. "Uh…I just know you and that…it had something to do with becoming a Pokémon Master. I still don't know how being a master doesn't equate to being the strongest…I mean why did you choose the topic of Pokémon Potential?"

"You're not wrong and that it relates to becoming a Pokémon Master." He gazed upon the cloudy skies. "Being a master is more than just becoming the strongest recognizable trainer in the world. To me, it's about being able to connect with Pokémon while also being able to bring out a Pokémon's full potential!"

Serena nodded slowly. "Then why participate in the Gym Challenge if you don't plan on being the strongest?"

"I think meeting all sorts of people will help," Ash exclaimed. "Many trainers have different philosophies in how they bring out their fullest potential. Gym Leaders, especially, have to adapt to a wide range of Pokémon given to them by the PLA. It'll be interesting learning from them." Then he scratched his cheek. "Also, I suppose if Gary is doing it then it's expected of me too."

Serena appeared she wanted to say something when Pikachu started to move of its free will.

It shook its head while surveying the area. Upon laying eyes on Ash, it started to spark its cheeks.

"Pika!" It warned.

Ash hopped off the rock and slowly approached the Pokémon. He placed the bowl halfway between them and then backed away.

"I bet you're hungry!" He said with a smile. "Go on and eat."

Eevee wagged its tail and approached the bowl meant for Pikachu.

Pikachu pushed Eevee to the side before it could reach the bowl.

"Pika. Pikachu. Pika!" It warned.

Eevee titled its head. "Eevee. Vee. Vee."

"Pika. Chu. Chu!" It faced Ash with its cheeks sparking more erratically.

Eevee shook its head. "Eev. Vee. Ve. Eevee. Vee."

"What do you think they're talking about?" Serena asked Ash.

Ash focused on their interaction. He felt frustration from Eevee while a combination of fear and anger from Pikachu. Then he slapped his forehead. "Of course! Its previous trainer must have poisoned its food so it doesn't trust any manufactured food."

His best friend blinked several times. "I'm guessing Eevee is explaining that we would never poison anyone."

The Evolution Pokémon appeared fed up with the arguing and used Attract once again. This time, Eevee commanded Pikachu to eat the food. It stood triumphantly.

"Eevee!" Serena yelled. "You weren't supposed to use Attract again!"

The yelling caused Eevee's ears to fall as it frowned.

"Baby steps I guess…" Ash sighed.

* * *

Ash and Serena hid behind the rock. They wanted Pikachu to avoid seeing them at all costs. Serena had a talk with Eevee and how they were trying to befriend it and how Attract made it impossible. A timer on Ash's phone counted down with five minutes left before Pikachu was free once again.

"Think Leaf is still around here?" Serena asked.

"I bet she's already beyond Viridian City," Ash replied. "She's probably tired of drawing the Pokémon in this area anyways."

His best friend giggled. "Like that has stopped her before in terms of drawing the same Pokémon repeatedly. Say, do you think her topic would be useful in terms of unlocking a Pokémon's full potential?"

Ash looked upwards. He had never considered physique before and intrigued by the possibilities and applications of using weight and speed. "Maybe we could watch some League battles later to see how other trainers have used physique."

"I can think of come performances and Contests that might be worth looking into as well," Serena clasped her hands together.

Looking into Contests was interesting too. He knew that Serena had been a huge fan ever since they were kids and she would talk about certain Coordinators. Recently, she had been talking about a Coordinator from the Kalos Region.

"Speaking of Contests, I was wondering if you were going to participate in any while we're on our journey?"

Serena blinked. "What? Me in a Contest?" She started to twirl a strand of hair. "Um…they definitely seem like a fun time, but I don't think I would be any good."

Ash tilted his head. "Because you haven't done them before? Haven't you talked about the Kalos Queen for the past few months and it had only been her first time doing them too?"

His best friend's face started to turn pink. "Well, she's a rather special case. A retired Contest Master took her under their wing after a PokéVision video went viral. I don't have that kind of support. Let alone many rookies don't even earn all five ribbons in their rookie seasons."

"Perhaps you don't have a coach like a retired Contest Master, but you got me," he grinned. "I would be your number one fan!"

Serena's jaw dropped as she struggled to find any words much to Ash's confusion. He only said what she told him when they first made plans traveling together.

The timer on his phone hit zero which prompted him to peak at their latest plan. This time they had set out two bowls of food. Instead of Pokémon food, they had chopped up berries. Eevee had been slowly eating its bowl when Pikachu shook its head and surveying the area.

The electric mouse appeared shocked that Eevee was eating. Upon seeing it was a bunch of berries, it decided to head over to its bowl to sniffle it. It eyed the food carefully before trying a piece. Then it started to eat piece by piece to Ash's delight.

Ash approached the eating Pokémon from behind while keeping a safe distance. He knew as soon as he stepped forward that Pikachu would turn around, sparking its cheeks.

"PikaPi!" It warned.

"Easy there!" He raised his hands, showing that he didn't have a Pokéball near him. "I just want to talk." All that could be heard was the spark of electricity. "I'm sorry that your previous trainer did so many horrible things to you. But you can trust me. I would never harm a single Pokémon."

Pikachu shook its head. "Pika. Pikachu. Pika!" Anger radiated off the electric mouse.

There had to be a way for Pikachu to see that Ash only had its best intentions. He wished he could relate to how it felt, but that would require some crazy parents. First, he needed to do something about its anger. A lightbulb lit up in his head as he spread his arms out.

"Don't believe me so then hit me!" Ash taunted it. "Hit me with everything you got!"

"Ash! What are you doing?!" Serena cried out.

Ash held out his hand to stop her from advancing while maintaining eye contact on Pikachu. "You think all humans are evil. Here's your chance to eradicate a human scum."

Pikachu stopped sparking its cheeks with a jaw dropped.

"Come on!" Ash continued. "Unleash that hatred you harbor inside! Unless you finally realized that I only want to be your friend!"

Tears trickled down its face for one reason or another. Without warning, it began unleashing a Thunder Shock.

Ash juked out of the way and started to run down the field. "Is that all you got?"

Pikachu shook its head and bolted after him with Quick Attack.

The young man made a hard right to avoid being bashed.

In response, Pikachu swung an Electro Ball.

Ash ducked to avoid it but ended up getting hit in the chest by Quick Attack. As he was falling down, the pushed Pikachu back into the air.

There, the electric mouse summoned a powerful Thunder Shock straight towards the ground.

Ash rolled out of the way and stood up. The look on Serena's face made him pause. He could tell that she was fearful of him getting hurt. If she had seen him at the lab, maybe she wouldn't be fearful. He pressed on to avoid an Electro Ball.

He positioned himself in between Pikachu and the rock he had been hiding behind. His heart started to pound with his breathing coming shallow. He had no idea how much longer he could keep up evading. He turned his head around to see Serena was wisely at a safe distance near the path of Route 1 with Eevee by her side. Then he turned his attention on Pikachu.

Pikachu panted from the string of attacks it unleashed. As far as Ash could tell, Pikachu had more of a numbing feeling compared to mostly anger as it did before. Could it be confused about how it wanted to feel towards people?

"Feeling better?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" It began sparking its cheeks once again.

Ash frowned. "Just think for a moment. If I wanted to hurt you like your previous trainer then I would have done so already. I allowed you to vent your anger towards me."

The wind started to pick up with Pikachu in silence.

Ash sighed while lowering his head. Maybe Gary was right about Pikachu in isolation. Maybe there wasn't any hope in befriending Pikachu. No, he refused to let Gary have another win in their rivalry. There was no way he could give up now either.

"Here's the deal," he said. "Stop sparking and being hostile towards us. Travel with us for a day and give us a chance. If you truly hate being with us, then I'll find you somewhere to live, far away from any humans." He paused. "Or attack me now and I'll take you to that place anyways. No trick. I'm being honest. Your call, but it's a win-win situation for you no matter what."

Pikachu stopped sparking and appeared to be pondering the thought. The trust in humans must have been shattered beyond repair as it sent another Thunder Shock towards Ash.

The League Trainer juked out of the way so the attack could harmlessly hit the rock or so he thought. The electricity arced upward until it zapped a passing Spearow.

"Spearow!" It cried.

The Mouse Pokémon had its eyes closed nor did it appear to have heard the cry.

"Pikachu, stop!" Ash called out. "You're hurting a Spearow!"

The electric mouse opened one of its eyes and stopped. "Pika?"

Ash sighed of relief. "Sorry about that Spearow."

Surprisingly, it managed to shake off the attack and continued flapping its tiny wings in the sky. "Spearow!" It shouted once again.

Ash's chest tensed up as a flock of Spearow started to fly out of a nearby tree and cover the skies. The flapping sound made him hold his breath longer than he usually did as he grabbed his backpack to sling around his back. "RUN!"

Pikachu decided to join Ash in heading towards the dirt path in Route 1.

Serena waited until Ash was with her before running together with their Pokémon behind them.

"That's some rotten luck," the honey-blonde said. "Why did you taunt Pikachu like that?"

"I thought releasing its anger would be a good idea!" Ash instinctually grabbed ahold of her hand. "You could have warned me about a flying Spearow!"

Serena furrowed her brows. "I was too worried about you being barbecued! Think Pikachu can scare them off with an electrical attack?"

"Considering the first Spearow tanked a hit and called reinforcements, I doubt it!" Ash turned his head to see how their Pokémon were faring.

There must have been nearly a hundred of them soaring above the trees. Several of them dove towards Pikachu and Eevee.

Pikachu pushed Eevee out of the way of the first wave and ended up getting pecked.

Eevee unleashed a Swift that got the Spearows attention.

The Mouse Pokémon had enough breathing room to zap the nearby ones, causing them to flee.

Unfortunately for the two, the rest of the flock swooped in, attacking with no end in sight.

"Return!" Serena aimed the red beam; however, a Spearow kept the beam from reaching Eevee.

Ash wondered if he should use his Pokéball to return Pikachu, but it hated being inside for one reason or another. It didn't matter anyway as the flock. Without hesitating, he ran through the flock while enduring the pain. He picked up Eevee and Pikachu in his arms and used every ounce of concentration to run out of the flock.

Serena quickly returned Eevee to its ball and ran by Ash's side.

Pikachu barely had its eyes open. Seeing the weak expression caused Ash to grit his teeth.

Raindrops slowly fell before it became a downpour. Amazingly, the flock persisted in their pursuit.

"They just won't give up!" Serena panted.

Ash furrowed his brows. If he hadn't been insistent on befriending Pikachu. Maybe they wouldn't have been in the mess they were in. Maybe they could have been in Viridian City. He looked down to check Pikachu's condition. _What am I thinking? I can't think like that right now. Not when Serena and Pikachu need me. _

He tightened his grip on Pikachu and scanned the path up ahead. There was a bunch of bushes off to the right. He took a deep breath and hoped Serena would forgive him. As they approached the series of bushes, he extended his arm and pushed his best friend into them without looking. He knew if he saw her face, he would attempt to soften her fall and both of them would be at the mercy of the Spearow.

A sinking feeling washed over his chest. He hated himself for what he did, but he pressed on for Pikachu's sake.

"At least she's safe," he kept telling himself.

"Pi-ka," Pikachu said weakly.

"Don't worry, Pikachu," Ash replied. "Everything's going to be okay. I'll protect you until the very end!"

The young man continued down the path for some time and reached a hill. Without many options, he decided to climb upward despite the incline slowing down his pace. At the top of the hill, he tripped over a rock, fell against his side, and began rolling down the hill. Upon reaching the bottom, his grip loosened causing Pikachu to roll beyond him.

The Spearow flew in a circular pattern, laughing.

Lightning flashed in the sky before the roar of thunder in the distance.

Ash weakly crawled over to Pikachu. He looked upward to assess his situation once again. A tear fell from his eye as it was warmer compared to the raindrops that pounded his face. He then placed Pikachu's Pokéball in front of the electric mouse.

"Pika?" It asked by the gesture.

"I know you hate being in the ball, but it's the only way for you to be safe," he simply said. "I beg of you to get in the ball…Serena will find you and when she does, she'll take really good care of you…and when she does…" Streams of tears began falling. "When she does, promise me that you'll replace the best friend she'll lose."

Pikachu looked up at Ash. "Pi-ka."

Ash took it as a sign that Pikachu would enter its ball and stood up to face the flock. "Spearows! Do you know who I am? I am Ash Ketchum of the town of Pallet. I'm destined to become a Pokémon Master. I can't be defeated by the likes of you!" He hoped he was stalling long enough. "I will capture and defeat every one of you! You hear me?"

He closed his eyes. Thoughts of his friends came to mind. How he was never going to have a battle with Gary. How he was never going to see another amazing drawing from Leaf. How he was never going to see Serena again. "Come and get me!" He shouted against his will.

Time slowed down as lightning flashed once again. He felt something climb his back and onto his shoulder. It was Pikachu.

The electric mouse jumped into the sky against the flock. Lightning stroked down before a blinding light filled the area followed by a thunderous _boom _and, "PIKA-CHU!" Everything was black afterwards.

Ash slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry before focusing onto Pikachu. The rain had stopped and the Spearows were gone as far as he could tell.

The electric mouse smiled weakly.

"We…beat them," he managed to utter.

"Pika…" It replied.

A giant shadow washed over them. Both of them turned to the sky to see a bird-like Pokémon soaring over them. It had mostly red feathers around the neck and wings. The body comprised of white feathers while the tail was golden. The entire Pokémon had a golden glow around it.

Together, they watched the majestic Pokémon fly over a rainbow. Landing in between them was a mysterious feather that shined like a rainbow.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Sorry if I overplayed some of the drama. It is supposed to be a stressful situation after all. Also if Serena doesn't seem to be doing much at the moment, please understand that this is only the beginning and she'll definitely have a bigger role later on in these situations. She was also the main focus of the last chapter so it was Ash's turn to shine.**

**Questions you might have**

**Q: How are the Trainer Classes Structured?**

**So if you want to think the first three classes (Rookie, Trainer, and Seasoned) as being different forms of casual Trainers while the later three (Challenger, Ace, and Star) being different levels of pros. I have specific requirements sort of thought out. If you want a general idea, you can always PM me as some of it will be explained later. I'm also open to a different name other than Seasoned if you guys wanted to suggest something else. **

**Q: Why am I adding in Trainer Classes?**

**I think it's important to distinguish between different skill levels and makes a lot of sense in terms of organizing different competitions. I hope you like this idea.**

**Q: When will we see Gary and Leaf again?**

**We'll hear from them soon. The next time we'll probably see them is Vermillion City.**

**Q: Where's Misty?**

**She won't be introduced until Cerulean City. I have my reasons for it. Plus, I wanted to give Serena and Ash some time to travel by themselves for a little while before I add a different character to shake things up.**


	3. Operation Emergency

**Chapter 3: Operation Emergency**

Everything felt like it was in slow motion for Serena. Her eyes could see the individual raindrops as she was falling into a series of bushes. Ash's bruised face continued looking forward with Pikachu in his arm. She reached out for his hand, hoping she was able to pull him with her. Alas, her efforts were for nothing as she failed.

Time resumed as normal as she rolled off the top of the bushes and down into the ground. A combination of mud and grass ruined her clothes, but she could care less about her looks. All that mattered to her was finding Ash as the flock of Spearow rushed by.

She tried all of her might to stand back up, but there was a sinking feeling in her chest that prevented her from rising. She pounded her legs with her fists to ensure she could them, but they still wouldn't stand. Just why? She needed to help her best friend. Come on stupid legs, work!

Tears began dripping down her face as lightning flashed across the sky. "ASH!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, not caring if she attracted any dangerous Pokémon nearby. Her breathing became shallow and her limbs started to have a tingling feeling. Her vision began to blur before she collapsed and everything faded to black.

_Serena's eyes slowly opened; however, she did not recognize anything. She appeared to be in a blacken void with little tiny fragments of mirror-like windows passing by her. Inside of these windows were images of Ash and her; however, they weren't her memories. She didn't recognize any of the locations they were in nor any of the people by their side._

_After several images of Ash, she suddenly remembered that he was in trouble. The mere thought slowed her pace down as one mirror-like window hit her. In a blinding white light, she heard a familiar voice. _

_"Spearows! Do you know who I am? I am Ash Ketchum from the town of Pallet. I am destined to become a Pokémon Master."_

_She snapped her eyes open to see herself floating in the sky with the flock of Spearow. The flock dove towards her best friend. She tried to stop any that she could with her arms and legs; however, they only passed by her._

_Fear filled her eyes as she covered them with her hands; however, she believed he was going to be alright. That's when she saw Pikachu leaping into the air with a bolt of lightning striking it. Everything faded into a white._

The ground rumbled that startled the honey-blonde awake. She picked herself up to see the end of blinding light in the sky followed by a dust cloud and Pokémon flapping away. Echoing through the forest was _PIKA-CHU! _

Serena rubbed her head. Everything was fuzzy after Ash pushed her beyond the bushes. Her dream couldn't possibly have happened right?

Regardless, the sound of Pikachu's cry meant there was still hope. She mustered her strength and managed to stand. What started off as a walk, turned into a jog, and then a run.

_Please be all right! _She thought as she raced down the dirt path and followed the source of light from memory. The rain soon stopped with the sun breaking through the clouds.

Reaching a hill, she climbed until the very top where a large shadow passed by her. Looking up, she saw a majestic bird flying across the sky. A golden aura shined beautifully as it soared towards a rainbow in the distance.

Her fears and doubt washed away and replaced with hopeful thoughts. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it had to be a good omen.

Absentmindedly, she pulled out her phone and used the Pokédex to identify the beautiful Pokémon_. Unknown Pokémon. No record found. _

Serena's eyes widened. How could that be possible unless…it was a newly discovered Pokémon! Quickly, she flipped to the camera app to snap a photo in time with it flying over a rainbow.

As the mysterious Pokémon flew beyond the clouds, the fears and doubt came rushing back.

_What am I doing? _She berated herself. _This was no time to take a picture!_

She quickly scanned the area for her friend. Near the bottom of the hill, she saw Ash standing while looking at the distance. She never ran faster in her life than this moment. She maintained her balance as she slipped and slid a few times on the way down.

"Ash!" She shouted.

Her best friend slowly turned around with Pikachu coddled in his arms. In his right hand, he held a mysterious feather. "Serena…" He weakly said.

The honey-blonde embraced him in a tight hug for a second so she wouldn't crush Pikachu. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Ash grimaced while looking at the electric mouse. Its yellow fur was paler and it did not appear to be breathing as much. "I'm glad you're okay too, but Pikachu needs to get to a Pokémon Center. It drained a lot of its energy just to save me." He put the feather in his torn jacket pocket.

Maybe that wasn't a dream but a vision? It was all too confusing to think about at the moment. Serena pulled up the PokéNav app to identify the nearest Pokémon Center. She frowned at the options. "Looks like the closest Pokémon Center is in Viridian City. We're still an hour away on foot to the city. Maybe a half-hour if we book it."

Ash nodded with determination. They had no choice if they wanted to get Pikachu help. "Lead the way!"

Serena led Ash down sidewalk after sidewalk in the outskirts of Viridian City. She ignored the looks several people gave her as she followed the directions on the PokéNav. The Pokémon Center had to be in the center of the city so despite running for a half-hour already, they still needed another half-hour to get there assuming the streets were willing to cooperate with them.

The pedestrian sign was red with several cars coming from either side. Ash could only focus on poor Pikachu, who looked worse now than ever.

"Please tell me we're close," he said.

Serena frowned, unsure if she wanted to tell him the distance away. "I'm really sorry…"

Before she could finish her sentence, a female voice shouted, "Hold it you two!"

The teens reluctantly turned around as the pedestrian sign turned green. Behind them was an officer, flashing her badge. She had blue wavy hair.

"Is something wrong, officer?" Serena asked.

The officer placed her hands upon her hip and studied them. "Help me understand the picture here. Two people carrying around an injured Pikachu and look like a complete mess. Is there a better explanation other than Pokémon thievery?"

"We're not thieves," Ash growled. "We don't have time to explain either. My Pikachu needs to get a Pokémon Center right away!"

The officer crossed her arms.

Serena gently pushed Ash to the side, understanding his frustrations but the last thing they needed was to upset an officer. "Sorry, officer. It's been one stressful day involving Spearows chasing after us in the rain. Poor Pikachu drained a lot of its electricity to save us. If we don't get to the Pokémon Center soon, it might not wake up." With her phone, she pulled up her ID and showed it to the officer. "We're not thieves, I promise."

The officer studied the ID with her eyes widening, possibly because it states Research Fellow of Professor Oak's Lab on it. She grabbed ahold of her radio on her shoulder. "This is Jenny. I have a Code Red P 2 Critical. Requesting roads to be cleared to Pokémon Center from outskirts. Let the staff know they should expect two kids with some bruises and a Pikachu, drained of electricity."

"And an Eevee whose hurt," Serena added.

"And an Eevee with unknown injuries," Officer Jenny added and letting go of her radio. She motioned them to follow her. "I'm sorry to hold you up during an emergency. To make it up to you, I'll get you guys to the Pokémon Center, myself!"

The teens smiled at one another. Maybe their luck was finally turning around. They followed the officer to her patrol car and hopped into the back. Officer Jenny blared the sirens and began coasting through the city, breaking many of the speed limits.

"Hang on Pikachu." Ash frowned while keeping Pikachu as still as possible. "We're almost there."

Serena decided to release Eevee into her lap to check on its condition. Its fur was roughed up and several bruises appeared across the body. Thankfully, it did not appear as serve as Pikachu.

Eevee weakly opened one of its eyes. "Vee?"

"Rest, Eevee," Serena gently petted it. The Evolution Pokémon squirmed due to the pain. "We're almost at the Pokémon Center. The people there will help you feel better."

Most cars pulled to the side while several streets were empty as they got onto the campus of the Pokémon Center, a multi-floored building with a red tile roof. They managed to get there in under seven minutes.

"Hang on tight," Officer Jenny warned. She slammed on the breaks causing the teens' body to press against their seat beat. The car came to a screeching stop at the front entrance. The teens quickly opened the doors only to be greeted by a woman at the front.

The woman wore pink scrubs, had circular glasses, and magenta-colored hair. A stretcher was by her side. "I'm Jessica, one of the nurses here. I've been expecting you. Dr. Joy is prepping the machines we need to nurse your Pokémon back to health so please place them on the stretcher."

Serena hesitated on placing Eevee on the stretcher. She had been used to handling sick and injured Pokémon off to Daisy and Professor Oak that giving her Pokémon to a nurse seemed odd. Ash must have felt the same way.

"Dr. Joy and I will do everything we can for them," Jessica insisted. "Hurry before it's too late for Pikachu at least."

Ash appeared to be motivated and quickly placed Pikachu upon the stretcher. Serena followed his lead with Eevee. Jessica ensured they were strapped in safely before rushing through the front doors.

Officer Jenny stepped in front of the teens. "Don't be shy. Come on in."

They followed the officer inside the building and approached the front desk in the lobby area. Several people gave the teens funny lucks and held their noses.

A man with lavender hair sat behind the desk with rectangular glasses. He wore a nice dress shirt and pants. He looked up to see Officer Jenny flashing her badge.

"I'm Officer Jenny of the thirteenth prescient and I'm requesting that the Pokémon Center provide rooms for these kids and for the doctor on standby to look at their injuries."

The man nodded. "We've been expecting you." He picked up a phone and pressed a few buttons. "This is Jim. Your patients have arrived and ready to be examined." He nodded a few times before hanging up. He stood up and came around the desk. "If you would please follow me. I'll escort you to see Dr. Proctor."

Ash turned to Officer Jenny. "Officer…I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. It was inexcusable despite the circumstances. Without you, we would never have made it in time. Thank you." He gave a small bow.

"Yes, thank you for everything." Serena joined in on Ash's gesture.

The Officer tipped her hat. "You're welcome. I'm glad to be of service and I'm sorry for accusing you of anything. That probably didn't help matters when we first met. I can't stay here long, but I'll be back later to check up on you two." She turned to Jim. "You can bill their rooms to me."

Jim nodded and then walked down several halls with Ash and Serena following him. They followed until they reached a particular medical room. Inside was a man with a buzz cut in a lab coat.

"This is Dr. Proctor," Jim introduced them. "He'll examine those bruises and cuts to ensure they're not too serious. We also have a nurse if you-" He looked at Serena. "-feel more comfortable with her down one room. Once they finish examining you, come back towards the front desk and I'll hand you the key to your room. There, you can take a shower. I can also have a staff member to help take your clothes to the washroom."

Ash sighed. "When will we hear news about our Pokémon?"

That was also something Serena wanted to know.

Jim placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "As soon as I hear anything, I'll let you. Given what I saw and heard, it could be a few hours. For now, please be patient and let Dr. Joy handle things from here. You wouldn't want your Pokémon to see you in these conditions do you?"

Ash shook his head while gazing upon the floor. Then he slowly walked into the room with Dr. Proctor.

Serena headed down a room to see the nurse. "Thanks, Jim."

The lavender-haired man smiled before checking his phone. He appeared to have responded to a text prior to returning to the front desk.

The nurse examined Serena and provided proper physical and checkups. Despite being pushed into a series of bushes, she didn't have any scrapes or cuts, unlike Ash. Her best friend was on her mind throughout the entire examination. Upon finishing her exam, she went by the next room to see how her friend was doing, but the door was closed.

She didn't want to barge in so she meandered back to the front desk where Jim handed her a card key to the fifth floor. Once she entered her room, she quickly went into the bathroom to change into a robe and handing her dirty clothes to a staff member. Then she took a long, steamy shower, put on a different robe, and sat upon her bed.

The room was dark with only natural sunlight coming through her window. All she could think about was what had transpired over the past few hours. Her hands hovered over her heart as images of Pikachu attacking Ash came to mind.

How could he be so reckless? Any one of those attacks could have caused serious injuries to him. The way he acted with such pose. Could he have done it before? That would explain why he had some mysterious injuries that couldn't be explained by falling down. Let alone reasons why Gary, Leaf, and her were never allowed to help Ash.

Of course, what shocked her the most probably had to have been his deal. She didn't quite understand his logic and thought he was never going to give up on Pikachu. That wasn't like him at all. Could there be more to it?

She shivered while thinking about the flock of Spearow that chased them and how Ash bravely saved her once again. A nightmare that she didn't want to replay for long, but she did fixate on a couple of key moments.

Despite not falling hard, she managed to pass out and had a strange dream about Ash and Pikachu. The crazy part was it wasn't a dream. According to Ash, Pikachu leaped into the air to save him just like her…vision. Everything was confusing except for the fact that Ash had saved her once again.

Not only her but Eevee. Her own partner and friend for years was saved by him. She grasped onto the sheets out of the frustration and embarrassment. Did Eevee think less of her? Some trainer she was to let someone else save her Pokémon.

"No more…" She sobbed while thinking of ways to make it up to Eevee and how to repay Ash.

* * *

Ash winced in pain as Dr. Proctor cleaned his wounds and stitched some of his wounds closed. Those Spearows did a number on him. After getting patched up, he went through a series of exams before being released in good health. His mind kept bouncing between Pikachu and Serena.

He went to the front desk before heading to the fifth floor. In his room, he changed into a robe and handed off his dirty clothes to the staff with the exception of his torn jacket. The same jacket his mother worked hard to make for him. He was disgusted with himself for ruining it and tossed it over a chair.

The teen stood in the shower for nearly half an hour before shutting off the water and placing on a different robe. He sat on his bed, reflecting on the events with a towel over his head while he looked down upon the carpeted floor.

His first day as a trainer had gone sideways in every possible way. Pikachu was not the Pokémon he had expected after his friends received Pokémon they knew and had befriended. He was certain he was going to get a Pokémon he had helped in the past.

Despite his efforts, Pikachu didn't appear to have discovered any trust in humans. Its last attack caused a flock of Pokémon to chase him and Serena across the forest in the rain no less. Hard to imagine her expression being shoved into bushes, but the mere thought of her getting hurt tensed up his chest with tears foaming around his eyes.

How could he put Serena in danger like that? Maybe if he was more honest about his time at the lab or thought of better ways to help Pikachu, they wouldn't have gotten in that mess.

He slammed his fists into the mattress. His best friend must hate him for everything going wrong today. "How am I ever going to make it up to her?" He continued to pound his fists and forearm into the bed.

The shaking of the bed caused the mysterious feather to drop from his jacket. It caught Ash's eye as he remembered seeing a majestic Pokémon flying moments after he came through.

Ash picked up the feather which started to glow with a beautifully radiant shine. A warm sensation washed over him. Many of his doubts disappeared and replaced with an optimistic view. Like Pikachu might have appreciated his efforts in saving its life and how Serena would never hate him. The feeling subsided when it placed it down with many of his doubts returning.

After some time in his sulking, Ash received his clothes back. He quickly got changed, grabbing a different jacket to wear and decided to head towards the front desk. By chance, he saw Serena in the hallway.

"Ash…" She spoke first. "How are you doing?"

"Fine…" He partially lied. Whenever he moved, he could feel some pain. "How about you?"

Serena smiled. "Better, knowing that you're all right. Though, I would feel even better once we learn about the condition of our Pokémon."

The way she talked. It was if she still considered him a friend. He blinked several times. It made things easier in a way. "I'm…sorry for everything that happened today. If I had carefully thought of ways to help Pikachu instead of rushing things, we wouldn't be in this mess. Certainly, we wouldn't have been caught in the storm being chased by Spearows."

His best friend shook her head. "Don't blame yourself for circumstances out of your control. It's not your fault that Pikachu was abused. Not your fault for a Spearow being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nobody would have guessed that Spearow would call reinforcements either. Not even the great Professor Oak."

Ash slowly nodded. He doubted Professor Oak would ever get into a situation like that anyway, but understood where Serena was coming from.

The honey-blonde closed her eyes. "Besides…I could have been a bigger help to you instead of being a burden."

"But you're not a burden." He shook his head.

"It was you who saved everyone," she continued. "I didn't do anything, but no more!" Her eyes opened and furrowed her brows. "The next time you want to play hero, I want to be by your side."

Ash took a step back. He didn't quite understand. Were his actions considered heroic? Upon considering her point of view, he lowered his cap. "Honestly, I couldn't live with myself if anything bad ever happened to you under my watch. Just thinking about it makes me angry and sad."

"That's how I felt when you shoved me to the side." Serena had a hand over her heart. "I don't want to feel that way again. I want to help you face down any danger we come across. At least then, I can be satisfied with my actions instead of being sidelined. Promise me, we'll face any problem together as a team."

Something about Serena's demeanor was different. She maintained eye contact with fire behind her eyes. Her stance appeared to be more of a fighter than girly. It was if she was not going to take no for an answer. Even if he tried, he doubted he would convince her otherwise. This side of Serena also intrigued him.

Finally, he nodded. "Promise."

Serena smiled while giving Ash a much-needed hug. They embraced one another, longer than usual. Like most of their hugs, it felt blissful and right.

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Of course, the feeling had to end. Serena checked her pocket to see her mother was calling her. Upon accepting the call, Grace appeared on the screen.

"Oh, thank Arceus you two seem to be in a building," Grace said. "Delia! I got them on the phone!"

"Hi mom," Serena said. "What's up?"

Grace leaned into the video. "What's up? It's two teens who don't call their mothers during a thunderstorm! I understand you just began your journeys, but it doesn't hurt to call or text to say you're okay. Gary and Leaf already informed their families so it baffles us to why you two didn't do the same."

Ash stood by Serena's side. "Sorry about that. We were…"

"Ash!" His mom interrupted him. "What happened to your beautiful face?"

The young man turned his best friend with a frown. Together, they explained what occurred at the lab, Route 1, and how they ended up at the Pokémon Center.

His mother sighed. "I cannot believe Professor Oak would give such a dangerous Pokémon to my little boy."

"I can't believe that little boy put my sweetheart in danger," Grace added. "I trusted him to keep her safe."

"He did mom," Serena interjected. "He bravely shoved me into the woods and then his Pikachu saved his life. Despite our rough start, the important thing is we're okay."

Grace raised an eyebrow and appeared to be thinking.

Mom sighed while shaking her head. "Just be more careful next time, dear." Everyone appeared to be surprised by her reaction. "You know this isn't the first time I've had these types of conversations, Ash. Your father gets into plenty of trouble himself. No matter how much I worry, I know he can't help himself. I see you're not straying away too far from the tree either. Just check in from time to time and I won't question you too much, okay?"

"I will," Ash smiled. He supposed his dad on a journey wasn't the worst thing in the world. His mom could have had a worse reaction.

"I'll check in too," Serena added.

Grace narrowed her eyes. "You better, young lady!" Then she sighed. "Let us know how your Pokémon are doing later. It could be a simple text if it's late."

"Will do!" Ash and Serena said together. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Their mothers replied.

The teens headed down to the front desk. Jim was engrossed with his computer until he noticed them.

"Ah, I just received word about your Pokémon," he said. "Pikachu appears to be recovering with Eevee in the final stages of checkup. Dr. Joy will be meeting with you shortly to go over the specifics." He made a call.

That was a huge weight off Ash's shoulders. Serena had a brighter smile than before.

A woman in a lab coat and pink hair with loops soon joined them at the front deck. "I'm Dr. Joy and it's nice to meet you two."

"I'm Ash and this is my friend Serena," Ash introduced themselves. "How's Pikachu?"

Dr. Joy placed her hands into her pockets. "We're currently providing a stable flow of electricity to its body in the recovery bay. It's going to have to stay overnight so we can monitor its levels and ensure that its internal levels are normalized."

"Can I see it?" Ash asked.

"Unfortunately, I cannot allow it at this time," she shook her head. "Pikachu is still at a critically low level so we're showering it with electricity as opposed to our usual methods. Because of that, the room can be blinding without the proper equipment and we don't have a spare. Maybe in a few hours when it's not a critical level. For now, enjoy being on our campus. If you would like, I can have Jim or someone else keep you updated every hour or so."

Ash found it acceptable and nodded. He was still worried about Pikachu, but there wasn't more he could do but wait. He hated waiting.

"What about Eevee?" Serena asked.

"Just fine," Jessica said while walking to the front desk with Eevee in her arms.

Eevee hopped down from the nurse's arms and ran into Serena's arms, wagging its tail. "Vee!"

"I'm so happy that you're okay!" Serena lifted Eevee into the air and spun around before tightly hugging it. Then she turned to the doctor and nurse. "Thank you so much!"

The Evolution Pokémon looked around, especially around Ash. "Eevee?"

Serena frowned while lightly stroking its head. "Pikachu is still recovering, but don't worry. Dr. Joy and Jessica will ensure Pikachu's healthy in no time." She grabbed her Pokéball. "Why don't you rest in your ball for now?" The red beam returned it.

"You opt to be more careful in the wild next time," Jessica said. "You're lucky Eevee only had a few minor bruises, but it could have been worst." She faced Ash. "As for you, how could you allow Pikachu to use up a majority of its electricity. If Officer Jenny didn't find you, I doubt you would have made it in time."

Ash looked at the floor with fists.

"That's enough Jessica," Dr. Joy said. "These two have been through a lot as far as I can tell. Making them feel bad isn't going to help anyone." She then addressed the teens. "We're happy to have helped. My last recommendation is to avoid any intense battling for a few days. Now if you excuse me, I have other patients."

The duo looked for a place to converse and recoup. Between the cafeteria and lounge, they decided to take up a booth in the lounge. Fewer people there in general and they were hardly hungry. The lounge had all sorts of TVs set to different channels like the Gym Battles, Contests, News, performances, and more. They happened to be sitting near a News station.

A man sat a round table with a fedora and a business suit. He browsed through an old fashion newspaper.

On the screen, there was a segment on the notorious Hunter J and her team stealing Pokémon owned by a series of trainers in the Sinnoh Region. Typically, hunters used cruel methods in capturing Pokémon in the wild, but Hunter J took it onto a whole new level. Her whereabouts and clients remained unknown. Though the International Police believes she's moving to a different region to do business for some time.

Ash tightened his grip on his cup of water while looking at the segment. He hoped the International Police would be able to stop her sooner rather than later.

Serena sat next to him while browsing through her phone. The news made her depressed so she wanted to look at different fashion trends to keep her mind off it. Something caught her eye because she tapped Ash on the shoulder.

When he looked towards her phone, it was an image of the majestic Pokémon. "Woah! You managed to get a picture? Did the Pokédex say what it was?"

"The Pokédex didn't recognize it," she shook her head. "I don't recall hearing or seeing a Pokémon like this before. I was hoping you might recognize it. Since you don't, think it's a new Pokémon?"

Ash's eyes widened at the prospect. "Let's see if Professor Oak knows anything."

He made the call to Professor Oak. It did not take long before their teacher answered the call.

"Ash and Serena!" He joyfully said. "What a pleasant surprise! I hope the Pikachu situation is coming along."

Ash nervously laughed before explaining what had happened. "I'm really sorry to have endangered the Pokémon you entrusted into us." His eyes gazed upon the table. "Based on its last reaction before everything went south, I might need a new Pokémon."

"Wait, you're just going to give up?" Serena asked.

He shook his head. "As its trainer, I have to consider its happiness. I don't think Pikachu is interested in traveling with us."

Professor Oak chuckled. "I wouldn't count yourself out just yet, my boy." They looked at the professor. "While I understand the sentiment, I do believe the circumstances have changed. If what you said is true about it leaping into action, then I think you need to ask what it wants to do again."

"Won't the answer just be the same?" Ash asked.

"You should know better than now to assume anything when it comes to Pokémon's happiness," Professor Oak replied. "Besides, asking will only take a few moments. I'll have something prepared for you in case its answer is no, but I have a feeling that your accident might be a blessing in disguise."

Ash smiled at that possibility.

"Anyways," Serena brought their conversation back on track. "We called you because we saw this Pokémon that the Pokédex didn't know."

The Professor leaned into the camera. "Are you meaning to tell me that you discovered a new Pokémon?"

"We were hoping you could tell us." Serena pressed a few buttons on her phone. "I just sent you a photo."

Professor Oak looked at his phone. His eyes bulged and put on some glasses, probably to ensure his eyes were not deceiving him. "Impossible. You two saw _this _Pokémon."

Ash looked at Serena in confusion. She had an equally confused look. How was it possible that Professor Oak knew of it instead of the Pokédex?

"So Professor, what Pokémon did we see?" Ash asked.

"Sorry, I'm just marveled at this discovery," he chuckled. "The Pokémon you saw was none other than the legendary Ho-Oh. According to Johto lore, Ho-Oh hasn't been seen in centuries. The only images of the Rainbow Pokémon are through old paintings and tapestries. Many believe the Pokémon passed away long ago while some have searched for it with no success. Now, we have proof of existent so that'll shake things up for sure."

Ash turned to Serena, astonished at their luck. Making a major discovery more than makes up for the day they've been having.

The young man then remembered the feather in his room. "Um, Professor. Ho-Oh dropped a feather between me and Pikachu. Does that mean anything?"

Professor Oak leaned into the screen. "You mean to tell me that you have one of its feathers too?" He pondered the thought. "There might be a few historical meanings behind it. Mind sending me a picture? I'm sure my colleagues would love to see it. Maybe one of them will know more. Of course, I will credit you two for finding it."

"I will when I get back to my room," Ash said, excited to see what will be uncovered by it.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me," the Professor said. "I have lots to look into. If I discover something important, I'll let you know! Take care now and don't forget about the picture and asking Pikachu once again on what it wants to do." He hung up before they could properly say goodbye.

Serena beamed in excitement. "I can't believe we were the first to see Ho-oh after so many centuries."

Ash nodded. "I wonder why Ho-Oh decided to show itself to us."

"I hope the professor will be able to tell us more," Serena agreed. "Maybe if we head to Johto, we can learn more about the legend."

The man with the fedora rose. He folded up his newspaper and approached the table with his cane as support. "Pardon my intrusion and poor habits, but I couldn't help overhear the exciting discovery. Is it true that you saw the legendary Ho-Oh?"

Ash had his jaw dropped upon seeing the man. He blinked several times, but his eyes were not deceiving him on this one. "Y-You're Giovanni, Gym Leader of Viridian City and founder of PokéLabs!"

"Wait…" Serena had an equally shocked expression. "As in the company who partners with the PLA and Pokémon Activities Committee and responsible for different research projects in Pokémon medicine?" Ash nodded. "Why is such an important person doing here?"

Giovanni chuckled while looking around. Many people started to look over to them. He tipped his cap while waving to his fans. "I see my reputation precedes me. I don't see why it's strange to see me here. After all, I'm getting my Pokémon checked up just like you are. May I join you for a while?"

Serena nodded while introducing them. "I'm Serena Paschall and this is my best friend, Ash Ketchum. We just started a Pokémon journey together."

The Gym Leader eyed Ash while taking his seat. "Ketchum? You wouldn't be related to Red Ketchum?"

"He's my dad," Ash nervously chuckled. He didn't quite want his name to be spread around.

"Are you participating in the Pokémon League?" The man followed up.

Ash nodded. "One day, I'll make it to the very top!"

Giovanni laughed. "I admire your confidence, but the road to the League isn't an easy one. After all, hardly anyone has beaten me in a full battle." He turned over to Serena. "What about you young lady? Participating in the League as well?"

Serena scratched her cheek. "Battling isn't my strong suit. I'm not sure what I want to do as of yet, but I'm currently helping Ash with his research until I find the inspiration I'm looking for." She handed him her phone with the picture of Ho-Oh.

The Gym Leader raised an eyebrow while glancing at the picture. A smile creaked upon his face. "Quite a remarkable picture. I feel blessed to have seen what Ho-Oh really looks like instead of an old painting." He handed the phone back and looked at Ash. "Mind if I ask what you're studying and is it related to your relationship with Professor Oak?"

"We're research fellows for Professor Oak," Ash answered. "I'm looking into the secrets of unlocking a Pokémon's full potential. It's another reason why I'm participating in the Gym Challenge. I want to see how Gym Leaders like yourself do it."

"Fascinating." Giovanni clasped his hands together. "I don't suppose you have any philosophical leads at the moment?"

Ash sighed. "Unfortunately, I only just started. But you can provide me with my first lead. What's your philosophy?"

Giovanni sat back while pondering the thought. "Hmm, I would have to say it takes two minds. The Pokémon in question and the trainer themselves. If both are not striving for the same goal, it's difficult to expect the Pokémon to follow their trainer and vice versa."

"So does that mean every Pokémon that a Gym Leader cares for have their own set of goals?" Serena asked.

The Gym Leader nodded. "Indeed, but it's much broader than that. Every Pokémon with a trainer, coordinator, performer, or other has a goal they want to complete. Half the challenge is figuring out what the Pokémon wants to do. The other if finding a way to complete it."

Ash smiled at the insight. Though he wondered what Pikachu's goals might be. He believed they would make a great team if given a chance.

Giovanni checked his watch follow by grimacing. Then he checked his phone and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Is something wrong?" Ash asked.

He checked his watch again and shook his head. "Maybe I've seen one too many movies, but my appointments usually last about a half-hour. I got caught up in the news and your story to have noticed I've been here for nearly an hour. Very uncharacteristic of this staff." He stood up. "I'm going to check with Jim at the front desk."

Ash got up as well. "I want to see if there are any updates to Pikachu's condition. I believe they should be giving me an update soon."

Serena also joined them, curious about what might have happened.

As they approached the front desk, Jessica and Jim were walking side-by-side with a briefcase. It had the League emblem on it, the top half of a Pokéball with a triangle on the side. Walking beside them was a Meowth, on two of its legs instead of four.

"Jessica and Jim," Giovanni called out in an accusatory tone. "Where are you going with my Pokémon? Where's Dr. Joy for that matter?"

Ash looked at Serena, wondering what was going on.

Jessica and Jim turned towards the group with a wicked smile. In one move, they ripped off their clothes, revealing white uniforms with a stylized 'R' on their chests. They wore black gloves and boots with Jessica's gloves being longer.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessica stated.

"And make that double!" Jim followed.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!" Jessica revealed her real name.

"James!" Jim revealed his real name.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare for a fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!" Meowth spoke.

"Team Rocket?" Ash and Serena questioned. "And a talking Meowth?"

Giovanni frowned. "They're part of a gang of Pokémon thieves. I never would have suspected sweet Jessica and kindhearted Jim would be part of a vile group!"

"That was your first mistake," James taunted.

The Gym Leader grimaced. "I won't let you get away with thievery in my city!" The commotion started to attract several trainers' attention.

Jessie smirked. "Oh please, the famous Giovanni can't do anything here."

"Especially since we have your Pokémon!" Meowth leaned against the briefcase. Then he took out a large brown bag. "And more!"

James threw out a Pokéball. "Magneton, magnetize!"

Upon appearing, Magneton started to spin around. Nearby trainers started to panic as their Pokéballs started to fly from their belts. The Pokéballs flew to the Pokémon where Meowth snatched them from the air and placing them into the bag.

Serena managed to grab ahold of her Pokéball. She appeared to be struggling to pull it back to her. "Oh no, you don't!" She hastily pressed the button to release Eevee.

"I'll steal that cute Eevee from you!" Jessie grinned. "Go, Arbok!"

An Arbok appeared and roared that caused Eevee to jump.

"I won't let you nor allow you to walk out that door with any of the stolen Pokémon!" Serena declared. "Eevee, use Quick Attack!"

"Stockpile and then Poison Tail!" Jessie waved her arm in command.

Arbok strengthened its defenses.

Eevee bashed its head into Arbok's chest; however, the Cobra Pokémon flexed its chest, appearing to not have felt a thing.

With a flick of its tail, Arbok knocked Eevee back towards Serena.

Eevee came to a rolling stop before standing up.

Ash gritted his teeth. He wished Pikachu was well enough so he could be helping Serena. Looks like every other trainer in the area had their Pokémon stolen to help. The lights began flickering that drew his attention. They completely shut off before red lights turned on.

"Magneton's magnetic field must be affecting the power systems," Giovanni stated.

The raven-haired boy was conflicted. Without power then Pikachu was not getting better. On the other hand, he couldn't just leave Serena to fend for herself. What was he going to do?

"Swift!" Serena commanded.

"Acid!" Jessie countered.

Eevee launched a series of star-bolts from wagging its tail.

Arbok opened its mouth and spit out purplish ooze.

Both attacks collided with splashes of Acid raining down. Eevee hopped backward and performed a few summersaults to dodge it all.

"How annoying," Jessie said. "Keep up the pressure!"

"Magneton, stop that fur-ball with Thunder Wave!" James ordered.

The Magnet Pokémon spun around to release an electrical wave in tandem with Arbok's Acid attack.

Eevee dodged the Acid only to get hit by the Thunder Wave. Electrical charges sparked out of its body as it began struggling to move. Then an Acid spit hit Eevee.

"Time to take it with Bind!" Jessie yelled.

Serena began running towards Eevee. "I won't let you!"

"Magneton, Thunderbolt on that girl!" James hollered.

Arbok slithered across the floor.

Serena grabbed ahold of Eevee and ducked.

Ash couldn't stand idle anymore and started to run. He wanted to shield Serena from the hit.

Magneton launched the electrical attack. Too quick for Ash to get in front; however, the attack changed directions towards the front desk.

Surprisingly to Ash, Pikachu was standing on the counter, absorbing the electrical attack.

Serena quickly rolled to the side to avoid Arbok.

Giovanni used his cane to whack the Pokémon with little effect.

"How is that little rat doing that?" Jessie scowled.

James narrowed his eyes. "Cut the power! That Pikachu has the rare Lightning Rod ability!"

Jessie stomped her foot. "We should have stolen it when we had the chance!"

Serena managed to get back onto her feet and easily evaded Arbok's movements.

Pikachu absorbed every last ounce of power coming from Magneton. An electrical aura surrounded it.

Ash could feel a lot of determination coming from the electrical mouse. "Are you okay? You shouldn't be out of bed!"

"Pika!" It sparked its cheeks. "Pikachu!"

"That Pikachu is saying it wants to help, especially for what we've done to that Eevee," Meowth translated.

Ash was still unsure considering Dr. Joy's assessment, but did he really have a choice? He gave a nod at Pikachu. "If you're sure, then let's do this!"

Pikachu hopped down from the counter and in front of Ash.

Eevee broke free of Serena's control and joined Pikachu.

"We'll support you!" Serena stated.

Ash was grateful for their help, but they were still way in over their heads. Arbok was a fully evolved Pokémon while Magneton was in its second stage. Both appeared to be well trained. They were going to need a miracle to show up if they wanted to win.

Giovanni tapped his cane on the floor. "If I may, but this is not a battle you can win with brute force. You'll need to be strategic about this. There's only one way to turn the tides of this battle and that's getting me my Pokémon!"

Meowth laughed. "Good luck with that. There's no way we can be beaten by a rat and fox!"

Serena gave Ash a nod. It was like having one of Professor Oak's famous eye contact conversations with Daisy. They had an idea in mind on how to get that briefcase. "Eevee, Helping Hands!"

"Pikachu, use Thunder Shock on Arbok!" Ash shouted.

"Magneton, intercept that attack!" James countered.

"Arbok, Crunch on that Pikachu!" Jessie commanded.

Eevee stood on its back legs and clapped its paws, sending energy to Pikachu, who used that energy to launch a powerful Thunder Shock.

Magneton acted as a shield while Arbok slithered across the floor with its jaws wide open.

Ash smirked. "Nuzzle!"

Pikachu shifted gears and rubbed its cheeks. With an electrical discharge, it slammed its cheek against Arbok's chest. Similarly, with Eevee, electric sparks covered its body causing it to slow down and struggling to move.

Jessie turned to James. "Do something already about that Pikachu!"

James sighed. "Magneton, use Gyro Ball on that rodent!"

"Double Team into Quick Attack!" Ash commanded.

Copies of Pikachu appeared all over the floor. As Ash suspected, Magneton used its magnetic field to find the real one. The Mouse Pokémon began zipping across the floor and smacking against Arbok's chest. In doing so, Magneton also ended up hitting Arbok with Gryo Ball.

Serena snapped her fingers. "Now's our chance! Eevee use Attract on that Meowth!"

Eevee blew Meowth a kiss.

Meowth began having heart-shaped eyes with its jaw dropped. "Where have you been all of my life?"

"Eevee! Vee! Vee! Eve!" The Evolution Pokémon barked.

"Of course because you're such a cutie!" Meowth turned around with his claws out. In one swing, he scratched his teammates across the face. When he landed, he grabbed ahold of the briefcase and bag. He dashed across the field with them in tow.

James covered his face while wincing in pain. "Magneton, stop that traitor with Electroweb!"

Magneton fired an electrical web that quickly fizzled out and absorbed into Pikachu.

"Oh no!" James messed up his hair. "I forgot about its ability!"

Jessie smacked him against his head. "You're the one who pointed it out! Arbok Bind that annoying rat!"

Arbok had a moment of freedom and wrapped Pikachu around its tail, squeezing as hard as it possibly can.

"Quick, use Thunder Shock!" Ash shouted, but it was no use. Given Pikachu's expression, it could hardly breathe.

Giovanni snatched the briefcase from Meowth and quickly grabbed the first Pokéball he could find. Materializing was a Persian, the evolved form of Meowth. It stood mightily on all four legs with a long tail gracefully moving side to side.

The Gym Leader smirked. "Persian, it's time to teach these thieves what it means to steal in my city! Iron Tail the cat back its owners."

Persian's tail was covered in a metallic coating. With a flick of its tail, it sent Meowth flying into James, bring him down to the floor.

"Now Shadow Ball!" Giovanni pointed at Magneton, who was distracted by its trainer.

Spectral energy gathered around Persian's mouth before being launched.

The Magnet Pokémon never saw it coming as it spiraled out of control into Arbok.

The Cobra Pokémon released Pikachu. The momentum carried through as both Pokémon crashed into Jessie.

Ash quickly picked up Pikachu off the floor. Compared to the last time he saw it, it's fur was the right shade of yellow. Maybe those electrical attacks helped bring it back to a near-normal level.

"End this with Power Gem!"

Team Rocket began regrouping when Persian send a powerful beam of rock energy from the gem on its forehead. Team Rocket was sent flying into the sky, breaking through the entrance.

"We're blasting off!" They yelped into the night.

* * *

Ash and Serena were sitting at the front desk watching as officers took everyone's statements while others helped to identify whose Pokémon was whose. Officer Jenny and Giovanni went looking for the staff members in the back, apparently, they were tied up in several rooms. Dr. Joy quickly took Pikachu and Eevee from them to tend to the injuries they had suffered.

Officer Jenny approached the two after some time. "How are you two feeling? It must have been some kind of day. Being chased by Spearows to foiling a Team Rocket plot."

"I would feel a lot better if we had captured those thieves." Ash slammed a fist into the desk. "Instead, they managed to get away."

Giovanni joined in as well. "I'm afraid that's my fault. I was unaware of their trademark blast off getaway. Quite clever I must admit to avoid being captured. I must apologize again for being so careless, Officer Jenny."

Officer Jenny shook her head. "You did more than enough considering the circumstances. The important thing is that you three managed to get everyone's Pokémon back, safe and sound. On behalf of the Viridian City Police Department, I thank you for your brave acts of services. I only wished we arrived sooner."

"Horrible," Serena sighed. "How could the Pokémon Center allow those two be employees here? Does this mean all Pokémon Centers are at risk of a Team Rocket attack?"

"I wouldn't worry too much," Officer Jenny assured them. "Now that we're aware of this scheme, I'll be working with every Pokémon Center and regional departments to investigate every employee thoroughly. Let alone finding ways to increase security, especially around here."

"I still don't understand how some people resort to stealing Pokémon." Serena had a hand hovering over her heart. "It's just too cruel."

Giovanni closed his eyes. "There's only one reason, profit. Many trained Pokémon fetch a better price on the black market than wild pending on the situation."

Ash gritted his teeth. Pokémon were not money to be traded. They're living beings and should be treated as friends. Part of him hoped he would run into Team Rocket again, only to capture them.

"Rest assure that the Kanto Police Force won't stop until every member of Team Rocket is behind bars," Officer Jenny said. "Now if you excuse me, I have many reports to write and many phone calls to make." She turned to Giovanni with a salute. "It's been a pleasure working with you. If there's anything else you can tell me, please reach out."

Giovanni nodded and extended his hand to shake hands. "Likewise." They waved goodbye to Officer Jenny. Then the Gym Leader faced the teens. "You should be proud of yourselves. Against all odds, you managed to put up a good fight. There must be a lot of trust between you two as I've never seen two people work together as well as you did."

Ash scratched his cheek. "We only won because of your awesome Persian! Any longer and our Pokémon would have been taken as well."

"Besides, you also gave us the idea to change our tactics," Serena added. "We probably would have continued to use brute force until Officer Jenny arrived."

The Gym Leader laughed. "Perhaps, but don't sell yourselves short. After all, I was only able to get my Pokémon because you bravely took on those thieves. On behalf of the city and League, I thank you. This deserves some kind of reward."

Ash and Serena looked at one another before laughing.

"We don't need anything," Ash answered. "Seeing everyone being reunited with their Pokémon is more than enough."

"An admirable trait," Giovanni smiled. "Then think of it as a promise. Ash, I was impressed by how you commanded Pikachu. It reminded me of Red. I would be honored if you could face me in a full battle. I can't think of a better reward than giving you a battle to remember for the Earth Badge. Of course, you need to have earned at least six other badges before I can legally give you the badge. You can invite your friends and family and I'll ensure they get the best seats in the house."

Ash couldn't believe it. A full battle with arguably the hardest Gym Leader in Kanto. Nobody said the road to the League was going to be easy. He stood up and extended his hand. "That would be incredible! When I earn seven badges, I'll return and I'm going to beat you!"

Giovanni chuckled and shook his hand. "That's the spirit. I look forward to your return. Take care until then."

With that, the Gym Leader left the building, only to be greeted by a swarm of reporters. Several people came by the front desk to talk to Ash and Serena of their heroic deed. Upon seeing a news broadcast on TV, they decided to find a place to call their moms to let them know they were okay.

* * *

Giovanni sat in his office chair with Persian in his lap, staring at multiple screens that showed various statistical data, footage, and reports. It was organized in a way that he could comprehend everything that was going on within his operations. When the clock stroke midnight, he pressed a button on his armrest.

One of the screens showed an image of a man with blue hair in a white uniform. The Team Rocket logo was on the pocket of his uniform.

"Archer, those three performed adequately," Giovanni stated.

"But sir, they failed to steal a single Pokémon," Archer replied. "I consider that a failure."

Giovanni chuckled. Archer's drive for perfection was a trait he liked in his subordinates. "I consider Operation Emergency to be a success in terms of prime objectives. Those three collected more than enough samples to move on to the next phase. Due to the public viewing me as a hero, we'll receive additional funding as well. If we need more samples, we can always infiltrate more Pokémon Centers once the heat dies down."

"Still, we could have had a hundred more if it wasn't for those meddling kids," Archer grunted.

"Speaking of those meddling kids," Giovanni pressed another button. Images of Ash and Serena appeared on his screen. He sent a file over to his old friend. "I have the next assignment for those three."

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed that chapter and how I portrayed Team Rocket along with Giovanni. Let me know some of your thoughts on the chapter.**

**Next Time - Chapter 4: Forest of Friends (First non-canon Pokemon sighting)**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: How am I handling Team Rocket?**

**Smarter Ash = Smarter Villains. They won't appear in every chapter and when they do appear, they'll be more organized and more of a threat, at least for now. I don't want to make them goofy as I'm not restricted by Saturday morning cartoon logic. I'm sorry if this will annoy some of you in terms of Team Rocket's goofiness but its a trade-off I'm willing to make for the sake of tension. **

**Q: Why did I introduce Giovanni this early?**

**Gym Leaders are public figures. It would be hard for Giovanni not to be known and stick to the shadows easily. Plus, I think it adds some extra layers of motivation for Ash.**

**Q: What's the deal with the Rainbow Feather and Ho-Oh?**

**More or less will be explained over time, but I'm not following the movies to a tee and I have my own lore associated with them. **

**Q: Why does James have a Magneton?**

**It fit well for the scheme I cooked up and some of the solutions to overcome the problem. Plus, currently, they get random Pokemon to use so I figured they would have prepared for this in advance. **

**Q: Why does Jessie have an Arbok instead of Ekans?**

**Like I said, they're not appearing in every chapter. So I have no time to find a random chapter to evolve their Pokemon. Generally, they will have stronger, evolved Pokemon because of that.**


	4. Forest of Friends

**Chapter 4: Forest of Friends**

Ash tapped his foot, waiting for Dr. Joy at the front desk of the Pokémon Center with Serena. He thought back to the previous night and how Pikachu helped out and even heeded his command. At the time, all he wanted to do was to get payback at Team Rocket. After a night of sleep, he wondered if Pikachu wanted to stay with him.

Dr. Joy approached the front desk with Pikachu and Eevee on a tray. Upon placing the tray on the counter, the Pokémon hopped into their respective Trainer's arms.

Serena lifted Eevee into the air before snuggling tight with it. The Evolution Pokémon wagged its tail the entire time.

Ash was caught off guard by Pikachu's newfound attitude. The Mouse Pokémon pressed its cheeks against his chest. The young man simply rubbed its back with a smile.

"I simply can't thank you two enough for last night," Dr. Joy smiled. "Not only was this treatment for free, but I've called other Pokémon Centers. They'll be at the very least give you a free night stay while others might give you a free examination for your Pokémon."

"That's nice," Serena chuckled. "But you didn't have to do that. We would have gladly accepted the free care."

The doctor swatted the air. "Nonsense. It's the least I can do for bringing to our attention the lengths that Team Rocket will go to obtain powerful Pokémon. I can't fathom what would have happened if you two didn't bravely help Giovanni to defeat those villains."

Ash held Pikachu in one arm while using his free hand to scratch his cheek. "I'm sure if others had their Pokémon, they would have joined in as well."

"Regardless, the Pokémon Health Organization appreciates your efforts," Dr. Joy giggled. "Is there anything else I can help you with before I head back to work?"

Serena looked upward before snapping her fingers. "Is there anything we need to know about Viridian Forest? We were planning on heading out there to explore."

"Hmm," Dr. Joy scratched her chin. "Given all the bug-types, I would suggest you stock up on a few Paralyze Heals and Antidotes just to be safe and be careful of Beedrill nests. Sticking to the main path should help you avoid them."

"Thanks, Dr. Joy," both teens said in unison.

"Not a problem," she replied. "I look forward to your return." She waved goodbye and headed back into the campus.

The teens walked closer to the entrance, now guarded by a pair of officers. Anyone entering the Pokémon Center had to present their ID as far as they could tell.

Ash stopped in the middle of the lobby to set Pikachu on the ground. He kneeled in front of it and took a deep breath. "A deal is a deal. I appreciate the help last night, but you did try to zap me before everything went south. I'll find you a place to live, assuming that's still what you want."

Pikachu looked at Ash, Serena, and Eevee. Then it ran up Ash's body and onto his shoulder. "Pikachu!"

"Y-You want to stay with me?" Ash gasped with the electric mouse nodding in response. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. No amount of words could describe how happy this moment made him. "All right! We're going to conquer all the Gyms and then win the Regional League!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" It pumped a paw in the air.

"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon performed a midair summersault. Then it ran up Serena's body and onto her shoulder. "Vee!" It licked Serena's face.

The honey-blonde was clapping until Eevee licked her. "Does this mean you want to stay out of your Pokéball as well?"

"Vee!" It nodded.

"This should be fun!" Serena giggled. "Shall we head out to buy those supplies?"

"Before we go, I have something for you." Ash opened up his jacket and pulled the Rainbow Feather out of a pocket. His eyes fixated on the sparkling feather as he extended his arm out. "I want you to have it. I was going to give it to you yesterday, but then Team Rocket happened."

Serena blinked several times. Her cheeks appeared to be turning pink. "I-I can't accept that. That's a one in a million item and clearly, Ho-Oh dropped it for you."

"Maybe it is a one in a million item, but you're a one in a million friend!" Ash smiled.

His best friend covered her dropped jaw with her hair. Her eyes turned upward for what felt like an eternity before she shook her head side-to-side. Looking at the feather, she shakily took it from his hand. "How can I say no to such a sweet compliant?"

Ash noticed that the feather stopped sparkling in her hands, but the colors were still vibrant.

Serena took off her hat and inserted the feather in the black band and placed it back on her head. "How do I look?"

"Amazing!" Ash gave a thumbs up.

The honey-blonde winked. "Race ya to the store and then the forest! Loser has to set up both tents tonight!"

* * *

Ash braced himself against a tree, catching his breath. He had trailed Serena ever since obtaining the supplies at the local PokéMart. He should have figured she would have done such a cheap trick. No matter. He supposed he would have ended up lending a hand anyways.

His best friend took some pictures of their Pokémon and of the scenery. Apparently, her Rhyhorn Racing training paid off in a different way as she did not appear tired at all.

By the time he regained his strength, Pikachu and Eevee ran off ahead. The Mouse Pokémon sniffed the air while the Evolution Pokémon sniffed the ground.

"I told them that we wanted to search for new friends today," Serena giggled. "Any particular Pokémon you're hoping to track?"

Ash shrugged as he began trailing the Pokémon. "I didn't think too much about it. Though, a grass type or water type would be nice considering the Pewter City Gym specializes in rock-types."

"Fighting, ground, and steel types aren't bad options either." Serena placed a finger against her lips. "Though I suppose those are hard to come by around here. Come to think about it, Pikachu could learn moves of those typings."

"True, but most rock-types tend to be a ground-type as well," he laughed. "Pikachu would be too limited and it doesn't learn those moves naturally. I would have to consult a move guide. Ideally, having a different Pokemon that already knows a move of those typings would be better. What about you?"

Serena bobbed her head side-to-side. "Hmm. I guess a Pokémon whose cute would be ideal. Not to say I would be opposed to training a tough-looking Pokémon."

Ash was not surprised by her fascination with cute-looking Pokémon. She did tend to groom cute-looking Pokémon at the lab. He laughed out loud with Serena soon joining him.

"Pika!" The Mouse Pokémon shouted. It pointed up at a tree.

On one of the branches, there was a caterpillar-like Pokémon with a yellow underside and a tear-dropped shaped tail. The Pokémon appeared to be eating a leaf.

"Cool, a Caterpie!" Ash exclaimed. He reached for a Pokéball on his belt and enlarged it. "I'm going to catch it!" He then turned to Serena. "Unless you want to catch it."

Serena shook her head. "You can catch it."

He smirked. "Ready Pikachu?"

Pikachu began sparking its cheeks.

Caterpie continued eating its leaf.

"Thunder Shock!" Ash commanded.

The Electric Mouse launched an electrical shock at the unexpected Caterpie. The attack hit its mark. When it was over, Caterpie fell off of the branch.

Ash twisted his cap backward and tossed the Pokéball. "Go, Pokéball!"

In a red beam of light, Caterpie entered the ball. The ball hit the ground wiggling back and forth. Once. Then twice and finally a third time before it_ ding_.

Ash excitedly ran over and picked up the ball to strike a pose. "Alright! I caught a Caterpie!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu joined in the celebration.

Serena appeared to have taken a photo before clapping with Eevee. "Congrats, Ash." She scratched her cheek. "Though, did you really have to zap it?"

Ash hung his head, thinking the same thing. There was a good possibility where he could have thrown the ball and captured it that way. "Probably not." He decided to take a look at his Pokédex to learn more about his newly captured Pokémon.

_Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable them to endlessly climb slopes and walls. For protection, it will release a horrible stench from its antenna on its head to drive away enemies._

_Gender: Male  
__Ability: Stardust  
__Nature: Modest_

He released the Worm Pokémon. It turned its head side-to-side before turning around to see everyone. Its eyes widened as it slowly crawled backward. "Caterpie?"

Ash crouched down while slinging his backpack over one shoulder. Opening the top zipper, he reached inside for a potion. "Hello Caterpie. I'm Ash and this is my best friend, Serena." He pointed at Serena and then at Pikachu and Eevee and introduced them as well. "We're going to have many great adventures together and be great friends!"

"You're so adorable, Caterpie!" Serena joined in with the crouching.

"Pika. Pikachu!" Pikachu waved its paws.

"Eevee. Vee!" Eevee skipped around the other Pokémon.

Caterpie tilted its head before smiling. "Caterpie!"

Ash extended his hand so Caterpie could climb upon it. He examined its entire body and found that its back was in pain. With the potion, he sprayed its back. Caterpie looked as if it wanted to cry and it started to spray Ash with a terrible yellow stench. He started to cough while everyone else steered clear.

"Are you okay?" Serena covered her mouth.

He coughed a few times before nodding. He pinched his nose while looking at Caterpie. "That does smell bad. Sorry, I forgot to tell you that'll sting. I was only trying to ease your pain."

Caterpie lowered its head. "Caterpie."

"It's okay," Ash petted it. "You were just startled by the pain." He looked upward towards the sky. "Let's continue exploring!"

Serena pinched her nose. "Why don't we find you a river so you can wash off that horrible smell?"

Ash sniffed his clothes and had another coughing attack. Caterpie laughed at its new trainer.

* * *

Ash patted his body with a towel after washing his clothes and upper torso of the stench in the river that Caterpie guided them towards. He glanced over by Pikachu who had been chasing Eevee around a stump. Odd to see it adamant about making friends yesterday to being playful, but he wasn't going to dwell on it. Caterpie seemed to be enjoying watching the Pokémon play with one another. Occasionally, it would look towards the sky.

Serena set a couple of plates onto a wooden table with some sandwiches. Previously she had set up a clothesline for Ash and set out some Pokémon food.

The raven-haired man put on some fresh clothes before joining Serena at the table. Quickly, he grabbed a sandwich and started to eat. Then he looked at his phone to catch up on any news.

Among the first articles was their heroic feat. Turns out, several trainers recorded what had transpired inside the Pokémon Center. Serena and Ash looked at one another, probably having similar uncertainty about being famous without competition in any competitions. The story only added to the pressure.

Moving away from current events, Ash decided to check the League website to learn more about the Pewter City Gym Leader, Brock Harrison. Every Gym had its own rules on tackling Rookie Trainers with zero badges. It appeared that the format would be a 2v2 with a select few of Pokémon. He browsed through the shortlist before glancing at his Pokémon.

On top of training, he needed to catch more Pokémon if he wanted to stand a chance and not embarrass himself.

His eyes diverted back to Serena. She hummed a song with her eyes lit.

"Something good?" He asked.

Serena nodded with a smile. "Apparently, Aria will be competing in a Contest tonight. She had declined to participate in a Super Contest and decided to continue her career in the Galar Region."

Ash didn't know much of the Contest Circuits. He should have figured it was similarly structured like the League. "Why would she declined going up a level of difficulty?"

"Lots of people questioned her rookie season," Serena explained. "I would too if I was an expert in the field. One would have to get lucky to outperform and outmatch established Coordinators. Though a better explanation might be her coach did something similar in her climb to be a Contest Master to hone her skills."

Ash nodded slowly. "Interesting. Say, why don't we watch it tonight?"

Serena jerked her head back. "You really want to watch a Contest with me? I mean, it sounds like a fun time but I don't want to be rude and hijack our night and travel plans. Don't you want to look for other Pokémon?"

"We're not going anywhere with my wet clothes that needs to be air-dried," Ash chuckled. "Besides, weren't you the one who suggested we consider some applications of physique and Contests had a ton of examples? We wanted to look at some clips from them and League until Team Rocket happened."

"I suppose." She scratched her head. "Think Leaf will mind us stealing her topic?"

Ash hung his head. He supposed his topic was broad that could encompass all of their topics. He didn't want to overstep in their territory. "Let's just take a few basic notes, especially the battle portions and leave the rest to Leaf."

Serena began frowning. "Speaking of League, are you sure you want to participate in them?"

"Of course," Ash stared at his best friend. "Where is this coming from?"

"When you were explaining yesterday about people expecting you to do them because of Gary, all I could think about was how miserable you must be feeling." Serena played with her hair. "I mean, my mom expected me to follow in her footsteps and that itself was a lot of pressure on me until I finally stood up to her. I can't imagine how you're feeling with hundreds to thousands of people comparing you to your father and even Gary."

"I see." Ash looked up towards the blue sky. He would be lying if that didn't weigh on his mind. Could he possibly surpass his father or even keep up with Gary? Then he thought about some of his past experiences at some of the summer camps. "If it makes you feel better, I think it'll be a lot of fun regardless of what people say about me." He returned his gaze at Serena. "If summer camp has taught me anything, I can't please everyone. Besides, if people can't accept me for being my own person, then it's their loss."

Serena grinned while pushing some hair to the side. "As long as you're having fun, then I'll support you no matter what."

Nightfall came sooner than Ash anticipated after playing with Pikachu and Caterpie. Even Serena joined in on all the fun and groomed Eevee.

On Serena's laptop, they watched a Galar Region Contest. They had a couple of notebooks on the table to take some notes while their Pokémon hung on their shoulders, probably curious about what they were watching. The only exception was Caterpie who appeared to be resting by the tents that Ash had set up prior to dinner.

Serena took more notes during the performance stage compared to Ash who was more interested in the battle stage. Unlike regular battles, Contest Battles were more intricate. Not only did they have a five-minute time limit, but the Coordinators had to keep track of their points. A good way to lose points was one without elegance like a Gym Battle.

Ash noticed how many Coordinators trained their Pokémon in fluid, nibble movement. A majority of the time, the Pokémon's movement had a purpose. When two of them were reading each other's moves, it looked like a beautiful and tactical dance.

In the final round, it was Aria up against another Coordinator. The Kalos Queen wore a sparkling red dress while having her Ace Pokémon, Delphox, out on stage. Her opponent sent out a Dubwool. Both Coordinators had a hundred points to work with.

A bar at the bottom of the screen represented their points with the time limit in between the bars.

"Delphox use Mystical Fire!" Aria began the match.

The Fox Pokémon twirled its magical stick before extending it outward with fire spewing outwards in a loop that surrounded the confused Dubwool. On the bottom of the screen, the Coordinator's points decreased to 90 points.

"Cotton Guard!" Her opponent countered.

The Sheep Pokémon shed its wool to make way for fresh wool. The fallen wool formed a cloud-like platform that the Pokémon stood upon while increasing its defensive might. Aria's points decreased to 93.

"Now, Wild Charge!" The Coordinator followed up.

Dubwool surrounded itself with electricity and charged forward. Static caused the fallen wool to follow it across the stage as if it was running across a cloud-like road. Aria's points decreased to 81.

"Make it dance for us with Psychic!" Aria countered.

Delphox's eyes began glowing bright blue as a faint blue aura outlined the Sheep Pokémon. The Fox Pokémon flicked its wand and guided Dubwool along the side in a circle before making it run into the air above much to everyone's surprise in the audience. Delphox made Dubwool run in circles before having it crash into the ground. The Coordinator's points decreased from 90 to 71.

Ash noted how Aria used her opponent's attack against them and how her opponent used Dubwool's wool as part of the battle. He was impressed with the creativity and usage of physique; however, he doubts having a cloud-like road would be beneficial in most Gym Battles.

His eyes turned to Serena who seemed more interested in the battle than taking notes. Eevee wagged its tail in the excitement as well.

Pikachu was also wagging its tail in the excitement but then it stopped. It tapped Ash on the head and pointed towards the tent.

Caterpie appeared to be missing. Ash gradually stood up and looked around for the Worm Pokémon to that it had climbed a nearby tree.

What could Caterpie be doing up there? He walked over by the tree and started to climb it with Pikachu heading up ahead of him.

Upon them reaching the branch, Caterpie turned towards them. "Caterpie?"

"We were worried about you," Ash said while finding his balance on the branch. "Is something wrong?"

Caterpie lowered its head. "Caterpie. Cater. Pie. Pie."

Pikachu patted Caterpie on the back. "Pika. Pika."

Ash scratched his head, wishing he could understand Pokémon or that Meowth wasn't apart of Team Rocket. Though, he was able to understand their feelings. He felt Caterpie's discontentment and sorrows. Why could it be sad? Did it not want to be with them?

Pikachu attempted a translation. With its paws, it flapped them like a bird and pretended to jump off the branch.

Caterpie laughed at Pikachu's acting.

Ash had a rough idea now of what was making Caterpie sad and pulled out his Pokédex. He searched for entry number 12.

_Butterfree, the butterfly Pokémon. The evolved form of Metapod and the final evolved form of Caterpie. It loves honey of flowers and can locate patches that have the tiniest amount of pollen. Water-repellent powder in its wings enables it to collect honey even in the heaviest of rains._

He showed Caterpie a picture. "You want to become a Butterfree one day right?"

Caterpie's eyes sparkled at the picture and nodded. Then it turned to face the moon. "Caterpie! Caterpie!"

Ash followed its gaze and sure enough, a Butterfree was flying in the distance. He decided to take a photo before turning towards Caterpie, who appeared to be marveled by it.

"Then it's settled!" He declared. "I'll help you become a Butterfree! All we need is some training and I bet you'll become the world's strongest Butterfree!"

Caterpie jumped onto Ash and began kissing his cheek. The tiny kisses tickled Ash as he began laughing.

* * *

Serena focused her attention on the match in the Contest. Aria had a demanding lead over her opponent, 70 to 59. Whenever Aria was on screen, she tends to daydream about being a Coordinator. No other person she had seen had done that before. Sure, they could dazzle her with stunning performances or steal her breath with an intense ballet dance-off but no one had made her want to be a Coordinator more than the Kalos Queen.

In this fantasy world, she was facing off against the Coordinator with Eevee by her side. She came up with the perfect counters like Aria and the right combination moves to dazzle the audience as well as land serious hits towards her opponent. Nothing could stop her.

"ARGH!" Shouted Ash with a _thud_.

The honey-blonde turned to her right before quickly standing up to search for her best friend. Upon seeing him on his back, she ran to his side and helped him up. Eevee hopped off her shoulder to continue watching the battle.

"Are you okay?" Serena supported Ash while he rubbed his back. "What were you doing in a tree?"

Ash faced her. "You didn't notice that I got up?"

Her cheeks flushed. "I-I noticed. I just thought you wanted to stretch your legs."

"When it comes to Contests, I suppose you might as well be Leaf," he sighed.

Serena stopped supporting Ash all together and crossed her arms while he fell on his back. "Fine, I won't help you next time when you fall."

Ash got up on his own power and chuckled. "Sorry. Caterpie was looking at a Butterfree in the distance. I believe I discovered Caterpie's first goal in that it wants to become a Butterfree one day. I made it a promise that I'll help when it tickled me off the branch."

The honey-blonde couldn't help but be impressed by Ash. Already, he had been considering what would make Caterpie happy. Soon, he'll figure out Pikachu's goal and be off to the races with his research. She bet Gary wasn't far into his research so he could shut it when it comes to being the all great and mighty.

"VEE!" Eevee exclaimed. It performed a little dance on the table.

Serena rushed over to see the final results. Aria had won her first Ribbon in the Galar Region with a final score of 63 to 36. It looked like Delphox had used Future Sight to deal a serious hit at an opportune time. She smiled while imagining herself in front of that crowd. Only in a fantasy where could truly shine.

Her battling skills were lacking compared to Ash and Gary. Then she lacked the discipline to even practice because of her rigorous Rhyhorn Racing practices. These competitions were not a joke.

Surprisingly to her, Eevee hopped onto her head and onto the ground. It skipped in a circle with every third step, it performed a twirl before alternating between twirling and a summersault. It continued the pattern for some time before skipping back and forth. It performed a backflip and landing on its back legs to perform one last spin.

By the end, Pikachu and Caterpie ran up to it, cheering on a wonderful performance. It had been a while since she had seen Eevee perform a full dance.

"Vee! Vee!" Eevee then hopped back onto the table where it pawed at the laptop.

Serena blinked, wondering what had gotten Eevee all fired up. "Sorry Eevee, but that Contest is over, but I'm sure a different one might be on somewhere. We can watch another one if you wanted."

"Eevee. Vee!" It shook its head.

The honey-blonde scratched her head. If Eevee didn't want to watch another Contest, then why was it acting so strange?

Ash laughed, further adding to her confusion. "I think Eevee wants to participate in a Contest."

"Vee!" It nodded while wagging its tail.

Serena frowned and had her hands close to her heart. "Are you sure? Contests aren't performed in an empty arena, but hundreds of people come to watch live. Do you really think you can perform in front of all of those people?"

Eevee looked at Serena, possibly thinking over what it wanted. Years ago, it would always run away from people no matter what. It had only warmed up to Pokémon and people because Serena found ways to earn its trust like leaving a flower crown among other cute accessories that it wore at a time. Then it only performed its special dance in front of her and slowly with her friends. An intimate setting to a huge audience was a leap.

"Eevee!" It barked and performed a backflip.

Serena took a step back in astonishment. Was Ash right about Eevee not being as shy as she thought? Did Aria inspire Eevee or was it just amazed by all of the performances?

Her eyes turned to Ash who had a big old goofy grin on his face. What would he do in this situation? Would he let the fear of failing get in his way or proceed to make his Pokémon happy? Like that was even a question.

"Alright, Eevee." Serena picked up her Pokémon. "If you want be in one, then we'll be in one!"

"Vee!" Eevee licked her face.

Serena laughed while thinking about her first Contest and how amazing she had to look. Of course, she needed to learn every dance move Eevee had up of her disposal. Getting through the performance round was going to be tough. "Let's work on some moves!"

Ash turned to his Pokémon. "In that case, we'll do some special training!"

Eevee showed off every possible dance move and attacking move. Gears turned in Serena's mind on how to utilize all of it for a decent showing. Though, Eevee's move set was an issue so she began thinking of potential moves that'll help.

Occasionally, she would look over by Ash who had pinned Pikachu and Caterpie against one another. It appeared as if they were working on the accuracy of hitting long-range attacks. Whenever Pikachu performed an electric move, Caterpie's eyes sparkled.

* * *

Serena took a deep breath of cool air while thinking of how she wanted to approach her upcoming battle with Ash. They had agreed last night to battle one another so Serena could get more experience. Considering Pikachu had been previously trained, Ash decided to use Caterpie as a fairer battle. Pikachu pleaded with Ash to battle upon waking up as Eevee did cast Attract on it once again.

"Tackle!" Serena shouted.

"Tackle!" Ash countered.

Both Pokémon collided with Eevee overpowering Caterpie. The Evolution Pokémon gracefully performed a backflip to get back on Serena's side.

Caterpie flopped against the grassy terrain and slowly getting up.

"Great landing, Eevee," Serena smirked. In little time, Eevee had incorporated the basics of the Contest battling style. "Follow up with Swift!"

"Roll to dodge!" Ash commanded.

Wagging its tail, Eevee sent a flurry of star-bolts.

Caterpie rolled out of the way to avoid it.

"Keep it up!" Ash encouraged. "Now, String Shot!"

The Worm Pokémon spit out webbing from its mouth.

Eevee hopped and skipped along the bank of the river, making its way closer to its opponent.

Serena blinked as she thought she had seen an electrical spark, but Pikachu was watching on the sideline. Could her mind be playing tricks on her? "Quick Attack!" She shouted.

The Evolution Pokémon dashed before tripping due to Caterpie's impeccable timing that roped Eevee's legs together.

"Great work, Caterpie!" Ash praised. "Tackle!"

Caterpie slammed its body against Eevee repeatedly.

Eevee struggled to break free of the webbing.

Serena gritted her teeth. Her best friend limited Eevee's mobility. In a Contest, she would be losing many points alone. There had to be a way to turn the battle around. Her eyes focused on Eevee's tail and an idea sparked. "Relax Eevee and move your body while using Swift!"

Eevee swayed its tail while casting a flurry of star-bolts that propelled its body in a circular pattern.

The star-bolts slammed against Caterpie's body who stood strong as long as it could before being sent flying towards a tree. Its body hit the ground, probably unable to battle.

"Caterpie!" Ash rushed over to check on it. Caterpie slowly lifted its head with a few tears around its eyes. Ash petted it gently. "Don't be sad. You did great. We just need to work on a few things."

Serena helped Eevee with the webbing. "Great work, Eevee. I'm proud that we won our first battle together. Though, we need to work on your footing and awareness. Tripping as you did could lose us a battle or two."

Eevee got up with a determined look on its face. "Vee!"

The honey-blonde giggled before turning her attention towards Ash. "So Ash, was it always your plan to tie up Eevee's legs like that?"

He scratched his cheek. "Last night, Pikachu did something similar so I thought of a way to get around it. All we needed to work on was timing. Though, now I need to figure out how to take advantage of Caterpie's limited move pool."

"Well great job, Caterpie," Serena smiled. "You'll get them next time, I know it." The Worm Pokémon smiled. "I'm going to work on a routine with Eevee for an hour or so. Do you want to continue looking for Pokémon after lunch?"

"Sounds good!" Ash gave a thumbs up.

They trained separately with Serena drawing up routines with Eevee in a notebook and executing some of the moves while Ash worked on some new battling strategies.

* * *

Serena and Ash traveled along the riverbank, thinking it would be a good place to search for wild Pokémon getting a drink of water. Pikachu and Eevee had scouted ahead with no luck in picking up any scent. Caterpie sat upon Ash's head, seemingly enjoying the view.

The honey-blonde kept looking on the opposite side of the river as well as the trees of the forest. Considering Ash had caught his first Pokémon, she wanted to make a new friend too. On top of that, it would be wise of her to obtain another one for the multiple rounds of a Contest.'

Her best friend frowned and sighed. "I thought we would have run into a Pokémon by now."

"Maybe some of them are still sleeping," Serena suggested, even though it was past noon.

Ash shrugged while taking out his phone and browsing through some apps. "Let's see, I recall Nurse Joy saying that lots of bug-types make their home here. According to the Pokédex, the Poliwag line, Pidgey line, Nidoran line, and Oddish line have been known to make their homes here. Being spotted and rumored would be the Noctowl line, Sentret line, and Stantler."

Upon hearing Poliwag, Serena recalled how she had met Ash. Rather silly years later despite having a phobia of ghost-types and her mother did not help by telling her scary stories about Trevenants. Her body shivered with those thoughts in mind. She quickly got back onto Poliwag as she had always wanted to thank it for helping Ash find her; however, no one has ever been able to find said Poliwag.

"I bet you want to find a Poliwag and maybe an Oddish for your Gym Battle," Serena remarked.

Ash nodded. "One or the other would help increase my chances by a lot. Hear anything interesting that you might want to try to find?"

"Hmm…" Serena pressed a finger against her lips. Having a Poliwag would be nice, but if he was planning on getting one, then she might have to consider another option. "I suppose finding a Sentret would be nice, but considering its only rumored, then it might be a lost cause."

"The day is still young," Ash assured. "We can try if you would like."

Serena found it sweet of him to try regardless of the odds. As they were about to head out, they heard a buzzing sound.

Eevee's and Pikachu's ears twitched while turning to a bush. Both got into their battle stances.

Serena prepared herself as something was clearly coming their way. Ash adjusted his head with Caterpie appearing to stay alert.

Rushing out of the bushes was a pair of Nidorans. They appeared to be in a panic as they reached the river. Chasing after them was a trio of Beedrills.

Serena wanted to scream but Ash covered her mouth. Though it seemed as if it wouldn't have mattered anyway as they seemed interested in the Nidoran.

The male Nidoran turned around with impressive jumping capabilities. Its tooth was surrounded by light blue energy that turned it into a beak. With a super-effective Peck, it managed to score a direct hit.

Following up that attack, the female Nidoran leaped into the air and used Bite. With a flick of its head, it slammed the same Beedrill to the ground.

The other two Beedrill swooped in with their stingers encased in a purple ooze, no doubt it was a Poison Jab. Despite not being super effective, they appeared to be hurting the Nidoran out of sheer power. Even worst, the third Beedrill recovered and started to bombard the Nidoran with Pin Missiles.

"Knock it off!" Ash shouted. "Thunder Shock!"

Serena furrowed her brows, she hated seeing Pokémon get hurt. "Swift!"

Both Pokémon rushed in closer before launching their attacks. The combination of a star-bolt shower and bolts of electricity got their attention as they managed to quickly evade.

Two Beedrills dove towards the Pokémon with their Poison Jabs ready. One of them stayed behind, presumably the leader, and fired off another barrage of Pin Missiles.

"Quick Attack!" Serena commanded.

Eevee dashed in a zigzag to avoid the Pin Missiles. With its speed, it attempted to bash one of the Beedrill.

That Beedrill slammed one of its stingers against Eevee and slamming the Evolution Pokémon into the ground. A series of Pin Missiles also rained down upon it.

Serena's eyes widened as she struggled coming up with what to do. She hoped Ash was able to turn the tides of battle. She mentally slapped herself. Eevee was her Pokémon and she wasn't going to let Ash protect it again. There had to be something Eevee could do to scare off the Beedrill.

"Electro Ball!" Ash yelled.

A concentration of electric energy formed around Pikachu's tail, swinging its tail to launch the attack at the other Beedrill.

Beedrill sliced the Electro Ball, causing an explosion. Amazingly, it continued forward but at a much slower rate.

"Thunder Shock!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu zapped it before it could get close, causing the Beedrill to retreat.

Serena gave a nod to Ash for an excellent job. Now it was her turn to make one retreat. Her eyes caught a glimpse at the Nidoran. They appeared to be knocked out and need some attention as soon as possible. The longer she looked, an idea popped in her head.

"Quick Attack into Bite!" She ordered.

Eevee got to its feet and managed to slam its body into the nearest Beedrill. In the same motion, it bit into the body and hurled it to the ground like Nidoran did earlier.

That Beedrill also retreated.

One more to go. "Great work. Now Swift!"

"Thunder Shock!"

Both Pokémon combined their moves. While they ended up missing, the Beedrill must have realized that it was outnumbered and headed back to the forest.

A sigh of relief came out of the teens as they headed towards the Nidoran to check on their injuries. With a closer look and initial exam, Serena could see the female Nidoran had some scrapes and bruises.

Ash decided to put on a pair of gloves as a safety measure to gently pick it up and roll it over. Similarly, the male one had some bruises and scrapes.

Before they could move, they heard a buzzing sound once again. Turning around, the Beedrill leader had returned. They had been tricked into believing it would have stayed away from them. From its stingers, it launched a series of Pin Missiles.

Without many options, the teens used their bodies to shield the Nidoran. Serena braced herself for the pain.

"Caterpie!" The Worm Pokémon shouted with the sound of electricity crackling in the air followed by an explosion.

Ash looked up. "Did you just use an electric move?"

No time to dwell as the Beedrill dove towards them.

Caterpie angrily stared at Beedrill and waited until it was closer to shoot an Electro Web from its mouth.

The web encapsulated Beedrill, zapping it until it broke free with its stingers.

Pikachu zapped it once again with a Thunder Shock with Eevee adding a Swift to the mix. The combination of moves caused a mini-explosion with Beedrill huffing and puffing while flying away.

"Thanks, Pikachu and Eevee," Ash stated. "Something tells me that Beedrill won't stop and probably get some of its friends. Let's get to somewhere safe before treating them."

Serena agreed while holding onto her Nidoran tighter. Based on how her body or fingers haven't hurt yet, she could safely conclude that the female one did not have the Poison Point ability.

Together, they raced down the river to get as far as way as possible before stopping. Upon feeling safe, they took out a few potions to spray the areas that have been scraped and bruises. They applied some bandages before placing them on their pillows for soft bedding.

Ash wiped his forehead while sighing of relief. "Looks like we're stuck here until they're good to go."

"I suppose," Serena giggled while checking on Eevee for its injuries. "Since when did Caterpie learn Electro Web?"

"No idea," he looked up at the Worm Pokémon who was laughing. "I guess you're full of surprises."

Serena scratched her head. "If you didn't teach it, then did Pikachu?"

The Electric Mouse titled its head. "Pika?"

"Hmm," Ash pondered the thought. "Maybe after being zapped, it was able to figure out how to channel it. Then after watching Pikachu perform them closely, maybe it picked up on the nuances."

"Good thing Caterpie learned then," Serena smiled. "Definitely came in handy today."

"Yeah, great work Caterpie!" Ash chuckled. "I suppose I'll find you some tasty leaves to munch on." His Pokémon jumped on his head at the prospect.

Several hours had passed since the Beedrill incident. Eevee and Pikachu patrolled their camp while Ash set up t their camp. They were sure the Beedrill would have a hard time finding them but were not opposed to their Pokémon looking out for them. Caterpie hung on Ash's shoulder as his support so to speak. It was cute.

The Nidorans rested upon their pillows on the dining table. Serena kept a watchful eye on them as both started to wake up.

"Ash, they're waking!" Serena exclaimed.

Ash quickly sat down next to her while setting down a couple of dishes.

The Nidorans jumped in alert upon seeing the Trainers. "Ran!" They barked.

"Easy there," Ash chuckled. "We helped you against those Beedrill. I'm sure you must be hungry so eat up. We have plenty of Pokémon food to go around."

The Nidoran sniffed the food before biting into a piece. They smiled and started to consume the rest.

Serena clapped lightly. "Yay! I'm glad we could help. Though, you should be more careful of the Beedrills. Luckily there were only three of them this time around. Usually, they'll be at least ten in a swarm."

The Nidoran looked at one another before nodding. "Nidoran!" They said in unison.

"I think they're thanking us," Ash chuckled.

Then they ran off the table to face towards the Trainers. The male dug its front foot into the ground while the female stared down Eevee.

"What are they doing?" Serena asked.

Ash smiled. "Cool! I think they want to battle and potentially stay with us if they find us worthy."

Serena and Eevee faced off against the female Nidoran. For whatever the reason, that Nidoran had been giving Eevee the sink eye. High chance of it having the Rivalry ability. She had to be careful.

"Quick Attack!" She made the first move.

Eevee smacked into Nidoran before it had a chance to react.

Nidoran stood its grounds while using the opportunity to scratch away at Eevee.

"Bite!" Serena shouted.

Nidoran pivoted on its front legs and used its back legs to kick Eevee twice, no doubt it used Double Kick.

Eevee slid across the dirt before rolling against it.

Serena narrowed her eyes, impressed by Nidoran's strength and quickness. It only made her want to catch it more. "Come on, Eevee! We can do it! Swift!"

The Evolution Pokémon stood up and wagged its tail, showering star-bolts against Nidoran.

Nidoran stood its ground and used Poison Sting in an attempt to defend. The Swift overpowered the Poison Needle, causing Nidoran to jump and skip before being overwhelmed by the sheer volume. It crashed into the ground.

"Go Pokéball!" Serena tossed the ball that captured it. With three wiggles, it dinged. Serena picked up the ball and performed a twirl and stroke a pose with Eevee. "Alright! I just caught a Nidoran!" Childish but she could now understand why Ash did it yesterday. It was a lot of fun.

She checked her Pokédex for more information. _Nidoran, the poison pin Pokémon. Female Nidorans tend to have smaller horns. While it prefers not to fight, even one drop of its poison can be fatal._

_Gender: Female  
__Ability: Rivalry  
__Nature: Docile_

Ash and Caterpie faced off against the male Nidoran. Despite Pikachu's pleas, he wanted to give Caterpie another shot to make up for some of his failings during his match with Serena.

"String Shot!" He began.

Caterpie spat out webbing at Nidoran, who easily evaded and closed the distance.

Its tooth turned into a beak.

Ash grunted as he didn't know if Caterpie could withstand the hit. "Electroweb!"

The Worm Pokémon cast an electrifying web straight ahead.

Nidoran surprisingly had good enough reflexes to jump into the air. It formed a tight ball while spinning upwards. At the top of its height, it uncurled. This time it led with its horn that landed directly on top of Caterpie.

Caterpie weakly stood up.

Ash was impressed at the acrobatics as well as reflexes. No doubt it would make a powerful addition to his team. "Electroweb!" He pointed at Nidoran and then at other locations.

Caterpie cast one Electroweb after another after turning around.

Nidoran once again evaded the first one by jumping into the air. When it uncurled, its eyes widened.

As Ash planned, Caterpie had surrounded the entire ground with Electrowebs. Even if they lasted for a few seconds on solid ground, it was enough for Nidoran to panic and get hit by an Electroweb.

"Great! Now, String Shot and pull!" Ash followed up.

The electric net dissipated, leaving Nidoran wrapped in webbing. Even more now with Caterpie wrapping it up with more. Nidoran resisted Caterpie's might.

"Catapult yourself into a Tackle!" Ash commanded.

The Worm Pokémon loosed its grip and suction to the ground in order to soar across the air, slamming into Nidoran with all of its might.

"Go Pokeball!" Ash threw a Pokéball that captured Nidoran. After three wiggles, it dinged. He picked up the ball. "Alright! I caught a Nidoran!" He stroke a pose with Pikachu and Caterpie joining in.

He checked his Pokédex for more information. _Nidoran, the poison pin Pokémon. It stiffens its ears to sense danger. The larger its horns, the more poisonous its venom is._

_Gender: Male  
__Ability: Poison Point  
__Nature: Jolly_

"What are the odds we would have found two Pokémon of the same species and different genders?" Serena asked. Her Pokémon appeared to be having a staring contest.

Ash laughed while shrugging. "Potentially low, but we can't forget about Pokémon breeding with one another. Take that as you will."

A bright light emitting from Caterpie grabbed their attention. Caterpie's body started to change into more crescent-shaped. When the light disappeared, a Metapod was in its place.

Ash smiled, couldn't believe that Caterpie had just evolved. "Congratulations Cater-I mean Metapod!" He went in to hug his Pokémon. "You're one step closer to becoming a Butterfree!"

"Metapod!" It cheered happily.

Ash checked his Pokédex once again just to make sure he knew what ability it had. _Metapod, the cocoon Pokémon and evolved form of Caterpie. It hardens its shell to protect itself. However, if hit hard enough, it may cause it to pop out of its body._

_Gender: Male  
__Ability: Shed Skin  
__Nature: Modest_

Serena joined in on hugging Metapod along with every Pokémon in their respective parties. For the rest of the night, they celebrated making new friends with dancing and games.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts in a review or PM. **

**Next Time: Stranded Flame ("You're the idiot around here!")**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: Why did Ash lose against Serena?**

**Primarily because he wasn't using Pikachu and he was being nice. If he was using Pikachu, he would have won. Also note it was not an official battle. More on that next time.**

**Q: Why did I give Ash and Serena Nidorans?**

**I like the symbolism and they do learn different moves as opposed to a different Pokemon and trying to find how to make both unique. I also remember using a Nidoking fondly in Firered. **

**Q: Why did I give the Rainbow Wing to Serena?**

**Mainly because it'll be a mystery and it'll be easier for people to see it rather than having to take it out whenever possible. Plus, I don't plan on having a blue ribbon here so I figured it would be a nice substitute.**

**Q: Since when does Caterpie know Electroweb?**

**Sword and Shield. You can look it if you don't believe me.**

**Q: How do Pokemon learn new moves?**

**Naturally, as they gain more experience and sort of "level up" after using certain moves or as I tried to explain, move guides. Essentially, Ash and Serena can look up the specific steps needed to help guide their Pokemon in learning certain moves. Generally speaking, this is slower than having a Move Tutor person help out. The other method is having a Pokemon help out which speeds up the process.**


	5. Stranded Flame

**Chapter 5: Stranded Flame**

While venturing through Viridian Forest, Ash decided to use the VS Seeker to challenge any potential Rookie Trainer. He wanted to get some battling experience with his team and begin the process of raising his rank. Now that he had three Pokémon, he could at least challenge people to the popular three-on-three format.

On the screen of his phone was a map of the forest with a radius of a mile with a few blinking dots. He clicked on the closest one to see it was a Trainer named Damian Wayne. It appeared he recently started battling with a 5-0 record. Not a large sample size, but Ash felt confident that he would be able to present a challenge at least.

With a press of a button, he sent a challenge request. He did not wait long for a reply and agreed upon a set location. Based on the map, it appeared to have been a sizeable clearing.

Ash excitedly raced to the clearing with Pikachu on his shoulder. Serena and Eevee were right beside them.

Standing in the clearing was a group of three people. Based on the profile picture, the one in a nice white suit and nicely groomed hair was Damian. Next to him seemed to be some kind of butler and a coach-type figure.

Damian smirked. "I have to say, it's surprising to see the son of a legend have a zero, zero record. Nonetheless to see you challenge me should be a great test to see if my winning streak is a fluke."

Ash paused and thought about his words carefully. "Don't expect the match to be an easy one. Let's get started."

"I can be the judge if you two wanted," Serena volunteered.

Damian ran his fingers through his hair. "As long as the match is judged fairly, I could care less. How does a three-on-three sound?"

"Sounds good." Ash nodded and checked his VS Seeker app to select the Pokémon he would be using and choosing rock. He waited for Damian to respond with the screen showing the rich boy had chosen paper.

"You can go first," Damian said, stuffing his phone into his suit pocket.

Ash took a deep breath to consider the implications here. To see a trainer defer going first means he wanted to choose the perfect counter to his Pokémon. Given he could see Pikachu, choosing another Pokémon would not be ideal. "Pikachu, I choose you!" He pointed outwards.

"Pika!" It sparked its cheeks.

"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon cheered on the sideline.

Damian chuckled. "I can't say I'm surprised." He tossed out his first Pokémon. "Sandshrew, battle time!"

Materializing was a Pokémon with a brick-patterned hide appeared. It stood on two legs, had a tail, and sharp claws. It flexed its muscles before being in a battle stance.

Ash frowned, knowing a ground-type put Pikachu at a major disadvantage. He decided to check his Pokédex to refresh his memory on anything important while Serena prepared herself. _Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. It burrows deep underground in the arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for food._

He also saw that any potential ability that Sandshrew possessed required it to set up a Sandstorm. He had to be careful.

Serena looked at both trainers, checking to see if they're ready. "Let the battle begin!"

"Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.

"Defense Curl into Rollout!" Damian countered.

Pikachu rocketed towards Sandshrew; however, it rolled up into a ball to boost its defensives.

Sandshrew took the hit, rolling backward before rolling forward with great speed and force.

The Electric Mouse got smacked, flew across the clearing, and flopping on the ground. Sandshrew kept rolling, gaining momentum by the second.

"Double Team!" Ash shouted.

Copies of Pikachu appeared on the battlefield. Sandshrew started to mow down each one, making the copies disappear until it found the real Pikachu.

"Rapid Spin!" Damian yelled.

Ash's eyes widened. "Quick Attack to evade!"

Sandshrew shifted from rolling like a ball to spinning like a disk. In an instance, it managed to grind into Pikachu due to its increased speed.

Pikachu withstood the attack for a time before being overpowered. It got up while panting.

"Scratch!" Damian followed up.

"Play Rough!" Ash countered.

Sandshrew swiped downwards with its claws only to be caught by Pikachu's paws. The Electric Mouse yanked them downwards before leaping overhead and tossing Sandshrew into the air.

Damian appeared calm. "Defense Curl into Rollout!"

With amazing concentration, Sandshrew rolled up into a ball to soften its landing. Immediately hitting the ground, it rolled like a ball.

"Quick Attack!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu slammed its head against Sandshrew with Pikachu being overpowered once again.

"Return Pikachu!" Ash sighed. The battle stopped, giving Pikachu some time to get back to Ash's side. He petted his little buddy. "You did good, but you're hindered by the type disadvantage."

"Cha." It lowered its ears and panted.

Ash adjusted his hat, thinking of the best possible counter to Sandshrew. Given the moves it had used so far, he doubted it knew Sandstorm or a ground type move yet. "Nidoran, I choose you!"

Upon appearing, Nidoran dug its foot into the ground.

Serena checked with Damian to see if he wanted to substitute Pokémon. With the shake of the head, she raised her arms once more. "Battle resume!"

"Rapid Spin!" Damian shouted.

"Poison Sting!" Ash countered.

Nidoran's poisonous needles bounced off Sandshrew's spinning hide.

Ash allowed Sandshrew to get closer. "Double Kick!"

The Poison Pin Pokémon pivoted off its front legs and kicked with its back legs. It appeared Nidoran kicked in the opposite direction of the spin, causing Sandshrew to flop in front of Nidoran.

Damian growled. "Rollout!"

Sandshrew curled up and rolled with Nidoran jumping into the air to avoid it.

"Horn Attack!" Ash commanded.

Nidoran led with its head downward.

"Rapid Spin!" Damian countered.

Sandshrew spun like a disk to intercept Nidoran's attack. The Poison Pin Pokémon got spun around and crashed into the ground where Sandshrew bumped up against it several times.

"Poison Sting!" Ash panicked.

Nidoran aimed poisonous needles that bounced off the spinning hide once again. It flopped on the ground while Sandshrew uncurled with a purplish energy-consuming its body.

Damian growled at the sight of his Pokémon being poisoned. The million-dollar question was it because of Poison Sting or the Poison Point ability?

Serena had her eyes closed while raising her arm for Ash's team. "Nidoran is unable to battle!"

Ash returned his Pokémon, thanking it for its efforts. "I promise your efforts won't be wasted." He grabbed his other Pokéball. No matter what, he was going to be limited so what was the lesser of two evils? "Metapod, I choose you!"

Damian refused to substitute Pokémon, thus Serena raised her arms. "Battle resume!"

"Let's end this quickly, Rollout!" Damian shouted.

"String Shot!" Ash countered.

Metapod spat out webbing from its shell to wrap up a rolling Sandshrew to a halt.

"Poison Sting!" Damian ordered.

Sandshrew fired poisonous needles to poke a hole in the webbing. With its claws, it began taking the webbing off.

"Tackle!" Ash ordered.

Metapod lunged forward and smacked against Sandshrew's hide.

Sandshrew grabbed ahold of Metapod until the poison had taken its toll and it collapsed.

"Sandshrew is unable to battle!" Serena declared with a cheerier tone of voice. Eevee hopped and cheered as well.

Damian silently returned his Pokémon with a grin. He was probably proud that with one Pokémon, he was able to reveal Ash's entire team. He casually brought out his next Pokémon. "Charmander, battle time!"

A lizard-like Pokémon stood on two legs with orange scales. It had a tail with a flame at the end of it and two arms with claws.

Ash wondered if he had met this Charmander before. He had helped take care of many over the years, handing them out to beginner trainers. He didn't need to check the Pokédex on this one and figure it probably had the Blaze ability. He returned Metapod due to another type disadvantage.

"Perhaps, you'll have another time to shine later," he said while placing the ball on his belt. "Pikachu, you're up."

Pikachu ran back out, appearing to be rested up. "Pika!"

"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon cheered.

"Battle resume!" Serena raised her arms.

"Thunder Shock!" Ash shouted.

"Ember!" Damian yelled.

The Lizard Pokémon swung its tail with shards of flames flying.

Pikachu launched a Thunder Shock.

Both attacks collided with a mini explosion with Thunder Shock breaking through the smoke and zapping Charmander.

"Shake it off and Metal Claws!" Damian hollered.

"Wait for it and Nuzzle!" Ash countered.

Damian narrowed his eyes. "Smokescreen!"

Charmander ran across the field with a shiny metallic coating encasing its claws. As it neared, it opened its mouth to release a thick layer of smoke that blocked Ash's vision. Moments later, Pikachu came flying out of the top of the smoke.

"Excellent," Damian chuckled. "Keep up the pressure with Dragon Breath!"

The Lizard Pokémon aimed a burst of mystical energy at the Electric Mouse.

"Quick Attack to dodge and hit!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu zipped and zagged, avoiding Dragon Breath after Dragon Breath. It bashed its head against Charmander's chest.

"Nuzzle!" Ash followed up.

Pikachu released a discharge from its cheeks, zapping Charmander, and then it created separation.

Electrical energy surrounded Charmander, making it hard to move.

Ash waved his arm across his body. "Electro Ball!"

"Intercept that attack with Dragon Breath!" Damian grunted.

Pikachu swung a ball of electricity that was intercepted by Dragon Breath. Unlike the Ember and Thunder Shock clash, the Electro Ball cut through the Dragon Breath and hitting Charmander with full power.

The Lizard Pokémon managed to get up.

Ash gritted his teeth. He had hoped that Electro Ball was going to be enough to take it out. Now, there was a possibility for it to activate Blaze and potentially turn the tides of the battle. "Thunder Shock!"

"Flame Charge!" Damian yelled.

Charmander surrounded itself in flames, charged forward, juking left and right as fast as it could; however, Pikachu managed to get it in the end at point-blank range. When the electrical attack faded, the Lizard Pokémon collapsed.

"Charmander is unable to battle!" Serena declared. Eevee performed a backflip in celebration.

Ash pumped his fist with a smile. He had successfully turned it all around. Though he can't rest yet. Both of his Pokémon had seen battle. Pikachu had to be tired and Metapod didn't have much coverage.

Damian furrowed his brows as he returned his Pokémon. It appeared he had a tight grip on his Pokéball and bit his lips. He appeared he wanted to say something, but he decided to grab his final Pokémon. "Weepinbell, battle time!" A bell-shaped Pokémon appeared with a pair of large leaves on its side. It had a wide, gaping mouth with pink lips.

Ash checked his Pokédex for more information_. Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokémon. It spits out poison powder to immobilize the enemy and then finishes it with a spray of acid. _

Of its two abilities, Ash was wary about Chlorophyll. With the sunlight, it could be quicker than he thinks. Of his remaining Pokémon, Metapod would be the ideal choice from a type standpoint. Though, Pikachu could limit and deal with some serious damage.

Serena raised her arms. "Battle resume!"

"Razor Leaf!" Damian ordered.

"Quick Attack into Nuzzle!" Ash countered.

Weepinbell sent out a flurry of spinning leaves.

Pikachu juked left and right and slammed into the Flycatcher Pokémon before letting out an electrical discharge.

Similarly to Charmander earlier, electrical energy sparked out of Weepinbell's body.

"Sleep Powder!" Damian grunted.

The Flycatcher Pokémon opened its mouth to release a blue powder. Pikachu began swaying back and forth before falling to the ground.

"Wake up!" Ash shouted.

"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon barked.

"Slam!" Damian snapped his fingers.

With its leafy arms, Weepinbell picked up Pikachu and tossed it across the field.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Serena sighed with her head hanging low.

Ash ran over by Pikachu and picked it off the ground. He quickly examined his little buddy to see that he had some minor bruises. He sprayed the wounds before placing it by Eevee. "You did great and don't worry. Metapod and I will win!"

Pikachu frowned with its ears hanging low.

Eevee cuddled with Pikachu.

Ash returned to his side of the field and took a moment to look at his Pokéball before tossing it out. "It's up to you, Metapod!"

Metapod appeared, staring down its opponent.

"Battle resume!"

Damian flicked his hair. "Razor Leaf!"

"Harden!" Ash countered.

Metapod toughened its shell as leaves bombarded it to little effect.

"Max out on Harden!" Ash yelled.

"Vine Whip and keep slamming it on the ground!" Damian countered.

Metapod stood there as a couple of vines grabbed a hold of it, raising it in the air, and pounding it to the ground repeatedly. The Cocoon Pokémon appeared to be toughing it out.

Ash narrowed his eyes, wondering if there was something he could do in Metapod's limited state. He noticed that Weenpinbell had stopped due to sparks flying and be paralyzed for a brief moment and then an idea hit him. "Electroweb on the vines!"

"What?" Damian gasped. "It knows Electroweb?"

Metapod shocked the vines that carried to Weepinbell. As a reflex, it let go of Metapod, causing the Cocoon Pokémon to flop on the ground.

"String Shot and pull!" Ash shouted.

The Cocoon Pokémon spit out webbing, wrapping the Flycatcher Pokémon.

Weepinbell resisted Metapod's might.

Metapod let go of its tension and lunged itself forward with Weepinbell's power.

"Jump!" Damian waved an arm across his body.

Weepinbell hopped into the air with Metapod flying by.

Ash predicted Metapod's trajectory and formulated a plan. "Electroweb!"

Metapod cast an electrified net in between a couple of trees. It pressed into the web and slingshot back towards Weepinbell.

Weepinbell landed on the ground only to be blindsided by Metapod and skidded along the ground.

"This is far from over!" Damian declared. "Acid!"

Ash widened his eyes, unable to believe that Metapod's best strategy and attack didn't do more damage.

Weepinbell rained down acidic ooze from its mouth. The first volley hit its mark, causing Metapod to hop around with the Flycatcher Pokémon keeping up.

Damian smirked. "Time to end this battle. Solar Beam!"

"Tackle!" Ash shouted before realizing that Metapod couldn't move. Acidic ooze surrounded his Pokémon and covered a wide area. "Metapod, hang in there!" He shut his eyes, not sure what he can do.

Weepinbell collected the rays of the sunlight.

Metapod hopped in place and had a look of determination. Its body started to glow that mystified Ash. The light of evolution was upon him once again and so soon.

The cocoon transformed into a purple body with stubby feet, arms, and wings on its back. When the light faded, Butterfree flapped its wings.

"Awesome Butterfree! You did it!" Ash cheered happily as he checked his Pokédex to see if it learned any new moves. He also learned that Butterfree had the Compound Eyes ability instead of Shed Skin.

Damian furrowed his brows, hands formed fists, and he had a low-key growl.

Serena checked in with both sides before raising her arms. "Battle resume!"

"Fire!" Damian ordered.

"Into the sky!" Ash countered.

Weepinbell fired off its Solar Beam.

Butterfree gained altitude and avoided the attack.

"Great!" Ash pointed at Weepinbell. "Now, Confusion!"

Butterfree's eyes glowed light blue with an outline appearing around Weepinbell. The Butterfly Pokémon levitated it off the ground and spun it around.

"End this with Gust!" Ash followed up.

Strong gusts of wind spun Weepinbell even further, crashing it into the ground.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle!" Serena cheered. "With all of Damian's Pokémon defeated, the winner of this match is Ash!"

Ash jumped into the air in celebration. The road to getting out of the Rookie class was on the right foot. He joined Butterfree who danced in the air around him. "Way to go Butterfree! I'm so proud of you!"

Pikachu joined in the celebration and climbed onto his shoulder.

Serena took a picture of the occasion. "Congrats, Ash." She had a big smile on her face.

"Thanks, Serena," Ash chuckled. He walked over to Damian and extended a hand. "Good battle!"

Damian had been talking to his coach and adjusted his tie. "I suppose congratulations are in order for that _lucky_ victory." He lightly clapped.

Ash frowned. "Lucky?"

The rich boy scowled. "Are you blind? You clearly were at a disadvantage the entire time. Sandshrew revealed your entire team and wore out two of them before the poison effect took its toll." He closed his eyes and chuckled. "Weepinbell was going to finish the job until Metapod evolved into Butterfree and learned a couple of super-effective moves. Otherwise, it was a sitting duck for Solar Beam."

"Well it did evolve," Serena joined in the conversation. "Some Pokémon evolve in the heat of battle and it's up to the Trainer to adapt around it. You can't retroactively claim victory!"

Ash appreciated his best friend helping him. He couldn't help it if Metapod wanted to evolve. His newly evolved Pokémon appeared so happy as well. How could Damian only focus on a Pokémon evolving when his battling could have improved to ensure victory instead of defeat with the advantage?

Damian flicked his hair and turned his back on them. "No matter how you spin it in your head, it was still rather lucky. If you can't even admit it, then I doubt any criticism from you is worth hearing." He turned to his crew. "Let's go."

Ash crossed his arms. Talk about rude. "Some criticism he offered."

"Don't listen to him!" Serena placed her hand on his shoulder. "He's just being a sore loser about it. Besides, you did overcome some difficult match-ups. That says a lot about your skills!"

"I didn't overcome them alone," Ash chuckled while facing Butterfree and petting Pikachu. "My Pokémon deserve most of the credit for all of their hard work they've been doing."

"Then I say we celebrate tonight!" Serena clasped her hands together. "Let's find a place to camp and Eevee and I can show everyone what we've been working on."

"Sounds good to me!" Ash gave a thumbs up.

Butterfree flew above the trees and surveyed the area. It started to fly in a direction with the teens following closely behind on foot.

They stumbled upon a beautiful meadow with all sorts of flowers, including roses, daisies, and tulips. The Butterfly Pokémon was quick to feast upon the pollen and nectar. Pikachu and Eevee chased one another in the field. The teens released their Nidorans and they admired the flowers after Ash treated some of its wounds.

* * *

Ash was setting up tents while Serena set up their dinning situation.

_Buzz. Buzz_. There was a message from Gary. It was a group message with Leaf included.

_Gary: What's up? Hope things have been swell. I thought you all would like to know that my first Gym Battle in Pewter City is tomorrow. Be prepared to watch a future champion handle business!_

Ash sighed at the message and quickly checked the VS Seeker app. He went to the friend list to see how Gary had been doing since leaving Pallet Town. His rival appeared to had a 15-0 record. He only needed to win five more battles to rank up or if he succeeds in getting his first badge, he would rank up from that.

What weighed on his mind more was he only participated in one battle in the days since he left Pallet Town. He had a lot of catching up to do.

"Are you okay?" Serena asked.

_Serena: Hey Gary! Ash and I are doing well. Thanks for letting us know. We'll be sure to watch it!_

The young man scratched his cheek. "Yeah…I guess I thought Gary and I would be challenging the Gyms together in one day. I suppose that was unrealistic for me."

_Ash: Good luck, Gary._

Serena slowly nodded. "Don't worry, we'll catch up to him at some point."

_Gary: Don't you remember? I don't need any luck. You're going to need it assuming you managed to tame that Pikachu._

Ash sighed, how could he forget to tell his friends about it? Though he wondered why Professor Oak or Daisy hadn't told him yet.

_Ash: For your information, I did. It's currently playing with Eevee._

_Gary: I have to admit, I'm quite impressed given how it reacted at the lab. So how did you manage to get it to open up?_

"Do you want to tell them?" Ash scratched his cheek.

"Your Pokémon," Serena giggled. "So your story."

_Ash: Um, it involved some food, a promise, and a bunch of Spearow._

_Gary: Fine. Don't tell us how you managed to tame Pikachu. Just know that when we meet next, I'm going to crush you._

_Ash: We'll see!_

Some time had gone by with Ash and Serena eating some instant noodles. They switched between looking at their phones at the latest news, their Pokémon, and having a conversation about their childhood. In particular, Ash had been explaining his thought process whenever he came to face with an abused Pokémon. Serena had been curious to know how he derives certain conclusions.

_Leaf: Sorry that I didn't respond earlier! I was sketching this cute Jigglypuff singing on a rock and…fell asleep. Anyways, good luck Gary! And Ash…did you put Serena in danger?!_

Ash nearly choked on his noodles at the accusation though she was not wrong in this case. He coughed and drank a glass of water.

Serena swatted the air while typing on her phone_. Sort of…He was trying to get Pikachu to release its anger through a series of attacks and a Spearow ended up getting caught in the fire. A flock of them chased us through the woods. Ash saved Pikachu's life as well as mine and Eevee. That allowed Pikachu to forgive all humans, but it did end up using a lot of its power to save Ash. So Gary, what Ash said was true. It was terrifying, but we're okay. On the bright side, we saw Ho-Oh that day_! She sent a photo.

Ash slapped his forehead.

_Leaf: YOU WAITED UNTIL NOW TO TELL ME?!_

"Maybe I shouldn't have told her…" Serena sighed.

Ash lowered his head. "We should be prepared for an earful the next time we see her."

Leaf angrily sent several walls of texts yelling at them how it was important to her to learn about every Pokémon. Considering Ho-Oh hadn't been seen for centuries, she would have liked a bigger heads up on any leads. Now it was impossible for her to track.

_Gary: …I already regret this group chat._

Ash and Serena apologize to the aspiring Pokémon Professor and told her that they'll inform her of any future leads and anything that Professor Oak discovers. It appeared she accepted the apology.

_Leaf: Anyways, how have your research projects coming along?_

_Gary: Slow…My Pokémon are nowhere close to evolving from what I can tell. _

Ash smirked_. My Caterpie evolved into a Metapod a few days ago after helping me catch a Nidoran and then earlier today, it evolved into a Butterfree during a battle_. Rare that he had a leg up on Gary.

Serena giggled before answering Leaf's question_. We haven't learned a whole lot, but we have a theory that unlocking a Pokemon's full potential might lie within completing Pokémon's goals. f the trainer and Pokémon are not on the same page, then it will be difficult to unlock it compared to when they're striving for the same goal._

_Gary: Oh please! All you proved was Pokémon get stronger while battling. That's nothing new._

_Ash: How do you know it wasn't for a different reason?_

_Leaf: That's fascinating Ash and Serena. How do you plan on proving that theory?_

_Gary: Clearly because you said you battled a lot with it, Ash. :P Anyways, that's a pretty basic theory if you asked me._

Serena rolled her eyes. "Is he acting like a jerk because of you?"

Ash shrugged. "Hard to tell without hearing his voice…"

_Leaf: That's uncalled for considering Ash and Serena have a theory unlike you Gary._

That made Serena and Ash feel better about Gary's comment.

_Ash: I'm going to figure out my Pokémon's goals and find ways to help them archive them while archiving mine…I already helped Butterfree complete its goal so I'm going to have to discover its new one._

_Leaf: Sounds intriguing and can't wait to learn more!_

_Serena: What about you, Leaf?_

_Leaf: Oh right. Hahaha. I've sketched plenty of Pokémon and I've learned some major differences in genders between Pokémon. Typically female Pokémon are smaller compared to male Pokémon. Though size doesn't always matter as female Pokémon can still pack a punch._

_Ash: Cool! I bet understanding some of these differences can help unlock Pokémon potential!_

_Leaf: DON'T GO STEALING MY TOPIC LIKE THAT!_

_Serena: What he means is he would be excited to read some of your notes when you organize them._

_Leaf: Oh, I'll let you know when I post them._

"Thanks, Serena. You saved us from another wall of text," Ash said.

Serena smiled. "No problem. Are you ready for the new and improved Eevee's dance?"

Ash slurped the rest of his noodles and nodded. "You bet!"

* * *

Serena stood in front of Ash and the Pokémon. He worried about Ash's feedback. Not in the sense that it would be bad or rude but lack of constructive information. Still, he was on the only person she could count on so here it goes.

"Ready Eevee?" Her Pokémon nodded. "Let's start with your dance and add Swift!"

Eevee waltzed in a circle, performing twirls every third step. As it skipped, it sent a flurry of star bolts into the air that slowly descended. It was like Eevee was dancing in space.

"Great, now Quick Attack into Attract!"

The Evolution Pokémon quickened its pace and leaped into the air, performing a backflip while maintaining Swift. At the top of its height, Eevee winked and blew a few kisses outward. One accidentally hit Pikachu. Eevee landed on the ground gracefully.

"Finish!" Serena bowed. She was proud of Eevee's efforts. Though she had no idea why Eevee used Attract on Pikachu once again.

Everyone cheered with the exception of her Nidoran. Pikachu rushed up to Eevee to give a big old hug.

"Poor Pikachu…" Serena scratched her head. "So…what do you think?"

Ash crossed his arms and thought about it. "Hmm. I thought it was really fun getting to see how you evolved Eevee's dance. Reminds me of the night sky and overall cute; however, I feel like the performances the other night were longer than what you did."

Serena grinned at the analogy he had used. He was a source of inspiration. Then she thought about the Contest rules. She had five minutes to do a performance, but not required to use up the entire five minutes. "I can see what you mean. Maybe I overcompensated on time and can add another step."

"It's a good start," Ash assured her. "You still have plenty of time before a Contest occurs, right?"

"Sort of…" Serena sighed. "The one in Pewter City is happening in a couple of days. I couldn't participate in that even if I wanted to as signups closed today. I don't even have a Contest Pass either. I think the one in Cerulean City is in a few weeks."

Ash frowned. "If that's the case, let's head straight to Pewter City tomorrow so we can get you your Contest Pass."

"A-Are you sure?" Serena found it sweet, but his team was not prepared to face a rock-type Gym. "We're still quite a bit away. We would have to book it and still wouldn't arrive until late at night. By that time, we would miss Gary's match and you would have missed a chance to get a water-type or grass-type."

He looked towards the stars like he always did when it comes to making tough decisions. "Fair enough, but I don't want you to miss an opportunity because of Gary and me. At least we should try to get closer to the city so you can get your Contest Pass."

"If you're sure…" Serena frowned, feeling like a burden on Ash's dreams. Then she turned to her Nidoran and figured out a compromise. "I know Nidoran isn't a bad matchup against a rock-type Gym so I can let you burrow my Nidoran."

Ash shook his head. "I can't do that. That wouldn't be fair to my Pokémon who have been working hard. Nidoran can probably win it all with Double Kick. If not, Butterfree isn't a bad option despite its weaknesses. Its Psychic moves could more than make up for them. Besides, life isn't always going to give me good matchups."

"It would sure help wouldn't it?" Serena blinked.

"Definitely, but Ace and Star Trainers are able to overcome disadvantages all the time!" Ash chuckled.

Serena pondered Ace and Star Coordinators doing the same in their advance formats in battling. Then she considered if Ash had told her that she could use Pikachu in a Contest. "I suppose you're right on both fronts. I couldn't fathom using Pikachu as it would undermine my Pokémon's work."

"Then it's settled! We're going to head straight for Pewter City tomorrow!" Ash declared. "If we happened to run into a Pokémon that's a good match against rock-types, then maybe we'll go and catch it."

Serena agreed to that compromise and then felt her legs being tapped by her Nidoran. It frolicked in a straight line and aimed Poison Sting in the sky with it raining down back upon it. It performed some kicks and juggled several needles upward and it fell into a heart-shape outline. It performed several backflips and landed in the center of the heart while showing it off to everyone.

The honey-blonde was impressed and clapped with Ash joining her. "Wow, Nidoran! That was a good dance. Did you also want to perform as well?" Her Pokémon nodded. "Great! We have a few things to work on so let's do some special training!"

Eevee pouted and pawed at her legs. "Vee!"

"You were included in it too," Serena clarified. "Come on!"

The honey-blonde spent the rest of the night with her Pokémon, going over different performances for different situations. Ash spent some time with his Nidoran while leaving Butterfree to enjoy the flowers. Pikachu was under Eevee's spell for some time before joining Ash in some training.

* * *

Ash ran as fast as he could while avoiding puddles on the main path. Overnight, several rainclouds rolled in and it poured without warning. With his best friend, he was searching for any kind of shelter ahead.

"This is the second time we've been caught in the rain!" Serena complained.

"I guess we shouldn't trust the weather app!" Ash exclaimed. "It seems to be wrong about when it's going to rain!"

As they ran, Ash noticed something unusual from the corner of his eye, prompting him to turn his head. Immediately he came to a stop upon seeing a Pidgeotto attacking a…Charmander. In the rain?

"What's a Charmander doing out here?" Serena asked.

"No time to ponder, we need to help it!" Ash growled. "Pikachu, Quick Attack into Nuzzle!"

Pikachu hopped from Ash's shoulder and jolted towards the Bird Pokémon. The Electric Mouse hit its target while releasing a discharge to paralyze it.

Pidgeotto maintained its altitude while focusing its attention on Pikachu. It flapped its wings that produced a strong gust of wind that carried some of the water with it.

The Electric Mouse was pushed back. "Pika!"

"Thunder Shock!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu withstood the winds and water to fire off a Thunder Shock. It zapped the Bird Pokémon.

Pidgeotto managed to shake off the attack and dove in with a Quick Attack.

The Electric Mouse ducked to evade the first pass. The Bird Pokémon came around on a second pass.

"I don't think it's letting up," Serena noted. "Eevee, help out with Quick Attack!"

Eevee hopped down her shoulder and blazed across the grass to catch Pidgeotto off guard.

Pidgeotto crashed into the ground before flying back into the air, flapping its wings once again for a Gust.

Pikachu and Eevee held their grounds.

Ash grabbed a Pokéball. "Only one way to end this." He ran around the Pokémon and tossed the Pokéball.

The Bird Pokémon's movement was locked up at the moment the Pokéball hit its mark. The ball hit the ground and wiggled three times before dinging. Ash picked it up and headed towards a stump where Charmander laid injured.

Charmander looked at Ash with a smile and excitement in its body; however, all of it quickly vanished and replaced by disappointment. It lowered its head while curling up in a tight ball, shivering from the cold.

Ash frowned, unsure what to make of its reaction. He set down his backpack and took off his jacket to wrap it around the Lizard Pokémon. "Charmander, what are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Charmander. Char," it replied with a frown.

Serena kneeled down next to Ash. "Do you think it got separated from its Trainer?"

That might explain why it was disappointed. Ash crossed his arms, wondering how that happened and how they were going to find said trainer in the rain. First, they needed to find a way to warm up Charmander. He picked it up and started to look around for a potential place to keep it out of the rain.

Charmander didn't put up much of a fight until they heard a series of footsteps. Walking along the path was Damian and his crew with umbrellas. The Lizard Pokémon broke free of Ash's hold and ran towards Damian.

Ash blinked. He didn't think it could have been the same Pokémon from yesterday. Anger filled his body wondering how Damian could have been so careless.

Damian and his crew stopped upon seeing Charmander, who looked up with a smile and hugged its Trainer's leg with all of the excitement in the world. Then the unthinkable happened. "Get off me, you worthless Pokémon!" He kicked Charmander back out into the rain.

The Lizard Pokémon flopped in a puddle, getting its tail wetter.

Ash rushed over to Charmander, using his body to shield it from the rain and taking it out of the water before its tail got any wetter. He turned to Damian who had a blank stare. "What's wrong with you? How could you say such a thing to Charmander and kick it back out in the rain? Fire-types hate being in the water! Let alone Charmander's flame is its life force."

"I guess you're dumber than I thought," Damian scowled. "That Charmander is worthless in every possible way. It had let me down time and time again and won zero battles. Even in favorable situations like that battle against your Pikachu, it finds ways to lose. It's not worth a decent trade so I released it, but it kept following me so I told it to wait over by that rock. Through its own stupidity, it stayed there instead of surviving the wild."

"You're the idiot around here!" Serena shouted as she stomped her way over to Ash. "You should be grateful for having such a loyal Pokémon like Charmander. And for your information, if you tell a trained Pokémon to wait, they'll most likely wait until they die!"

Damian rolled his eyes. "Not my problem or fault if that Charmander was dumb enough to stay out in the rain or be attacked by Pokémon. It's weak and will always remain weak. It deserves to be put out of its misery."

"That's not true!" Ash stood up. He wanted to pounce the rich boy for such logic. "Any Pokémon can be strong with enough hard work!"

Damian stared at Ash with a shake of ahead. "That's where you're wrong. Pokémon's strength comes from natural talent and power. Those that survive the wild become stronger while the weak get trance on. Simple as that."

Ash stepped forward until Serena placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We're wasting time," she told him.

He sadly had to agree with his best friend. Charmander's tail was dim.

"If you want to waste your precious time with a weakling like that, then be my guest," Damian chuckled. "I have Gyms to conquer." He began walking away.

Charmander weakly reached out for its trainer, but Damian and his crew disappeared into the forest. The Lizard Pokémon passed out with its tail becoming dimmer if that was even possible.

Ash quickly released Butterfree. "We need to find the nearest cave or shelter!"

Butterfree saw their situation and quickly rose above the trees to get a better vantage point. It started to fly in a direction that Ash and Serena followed. Ash supported Charmander while Serena used his jacket to cover the tail. Pikachu and Eevee ran out ahead not to lose track of Butterfree in the rain. They arrived at a cave.

Once entering the cave, they set down their belongings to check on Charmander. It weakly breathed and the body was cold. Serena made an emergency call to Professor Oak's Lab while Ash searched his bag for any dry clothing or towel to no avail. He decided the best course of action was to rub its body with his hands with some gloves so he wouldn't prick his fingers on the scales.

"Serena-" Daisy answered the call. "Wait, why do you look horrible? Is something wrong?"

"Daisy, a horrible Trainer left their Charmander in the rain overnight," Serena addressed while pointing her phone over to Ash. "Tail is very dim. Where's Professor Oak?"

"Gramps is in the Johto region about a radio deal," Daisy said in a somber tone. "Please tell me one of you have at least six Pokémon!"

Ash focused on his task. "I have four and Serena has two!"

"I was afraid of that," she sighed. "I wish my little bro or Leaf was with you guys. Serena, give me a closer look!"

Serena kneeled by Ash and slowly moved her phone to give Daisy a better picture of what's going on.

"You guys need to start a fire as soon as possible," Daisy instructed. "If you guys have a dry towel or something, wrapping it up is better than using your hands."

Ash turned to Butterfree. "Please head out to get some firewood and dry them with Gust when you return!"

Serena set her phone on the ground and ran to her bag to pull out a clothesline. She tied one side on a little rock and then the other on the other side. She hung different towels first and turned to Ash. "Didn't that Pidgeotto know Gust?"

Pikachu and Eevee pressed their bodies against Charmander while Ash checked his Pokédex.

_Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of Pidgey. This Pokémon is very protective of its sprawling territorial area. It will fiercely peck at any intruder. _

_Gender: Female  
__Ability: Keen Eye  
__Nature: Bold_

"Why are flying types so territorial?" Ash muttered. He did see that it did know Gust. "Do you think it's a good time to befriend it?"

"If we want dry blankets and towels for Charmander, it'll be as good as a time as any!"

Ash couldn't argue with sound logic so he released Pidgeotto who was still under the effects of paralysis. He dug through his bag to take out a Paralyze Heal to spray and cure it.

Pidgeotto titled its head. "Otto?"

"I know we've been in your territory along with this Charmander, but we need your help," Ash pleaded. "Charmander is seriously ill and we need dry towels to keep it warm. Willing to use Gust to dry them?" He pointed out where Serena was standing.

"Pika. Pikachu. Pi. Pika!" Pikachu pleaded.

"Eevee. Eve. Vee. Eevee!" Eevee added.

The Bird Pokémon looked at Charmander and then Ash. It hovered towards Serena and started to flap its wings.

"Thanks, Pidgeotto!" Serena stated before returning to pick up her phone. "Is there anything else we can do while we wait?" Ash looked over her shoulder.

Daisy frowned. "Where are you guys at? Maybe an emergency vehicle can get to you."

"We're in Viridian Forest," Ash sighed. "Closer to Pewter City than Viridian City. Still about a couple of days away from either."

"I was afraid of that and it looks like you're in a cave," Daisy replied, typing away at a keyboard. "Looks like we're going have to improvise. Keeping its external body temperature warm isn't going to be enough to restore its life force. One of you needs to find some Tamoto Berries. They're usually used to help treat colds, but it should also help boost Charmander's internal temperature."

Ash looked up what a Tamoto Berry looked like on his phone. It was a little red berry with lumps all over it. They appear to grow in trees. "How many do we need and what do we do when we find them?"

"I say you need about ten," she answered. "Typically you would feed it, but Charmander is in no condition to eat one. You'll have to squeeze the juices from the berries and then have it drink it. Be careful when you get the juices because their spiciness can burn your hands."

Serena snatched Ash's phone while handing him hers. "I'll go out and find the berries."

Ash shook his head. "Wait a minute, I'll go out."

"No, Ash." Serena took a few steps back. "Charmander needs you more than it needs me. Besides, your jacket is a pseudo blanket right now. I don't want you catching a cold."

Ash sighed. "Be careful."

"Don't worry about me," she turned towards Charmander. "It needs your full attention." She tossed out Nidoran and showed it a picture. "We need to find this type of berry. Do you know where we can find them?"

"Nidoran!" It replied.

Together, they rushed out of the cave, leaving Ash with Daisy in finding ways to keep Charmander warm until Butterfree returns.

* * *

The rain pounded. Lightning flashed in the sky. Serena stopped breathing for a moment at the sound of thunder in the distance. With each flash, she was reminded of their first-day adventuring. Only this time, she was the one being reckless and Ash was staying put.

Nidoran guided her through the forest until they stumbled upon a tree. "Ran!"

Serena followed its gaze and she didn't see any berries. Upon closer inspection, there was a Pokémon, shaking in the tree. Its red with black spots back turned to Serena. She used Ash's Pokédex to identify it.

_Ledyba, the Five Star Pokémon. It is so timid, it can't move unless it's in a swarm of others. It conveys its feelings by scent._

Could this Ledyba have been separated from its swarm? No wonder it looked scared. She knew Charmander needed her help, but she couldn't turn her back on another Pokémon in need.

"Nidoran, think you can talk to it and get it to come with us?" Serena asked.

Nidoran nodded and started to climb up the tree. With a clash of thunder, Nidoran jumped off the tree.

Serena quickly caught the Poison Pin Pokémon. "You okay?" It nodded. "Let's hurry and try again!"

Nidoran hopped back onto the tree and climbed up to the branch that Ledyba resided. "Nidoran. Ran. Ran."

Ledyba slowly turned around. "Ledy?"

"Ran. Ran." Nidoran continued and looked down at the honey-blonde.

"Ledyba, I know you're scared but you can come with us!" Serena shouted. "My friend and I are camping in a cave. You can stay with us until the storm passes."

Ledyba turned back around, seemingly declining the invitation.

Serena now wished Ash was out here instead. Maybe he could have used one of his clever tricks to figure out how to get it to follow her. Time was also of the essence. She quickly thought about her conversations with Ash and what the Pokédex had stated. She needed to find a way to relate to it or use its nature to her advantage.

"Why don't you join our swarm?" She asked.

That got Ledyba's attention, turning around fully. "Ledyba?"

"Nidoran?" Nidoran titled its head.

"Yeah, I'm part of a swarm of friends," she continued. "You'll never be alone if you stick with us!"

Ledyba started to hover and flew down to land on her head. "Ledyba!"

Serena was happy but also feels bad for partially lying to it, especially when she wasn't heading back to the cave anytime soon. "I'll take it you'll follow us. We're currently looking for some Tamoto berries, think you can fly and help us find some?"

The Five Star Pokémon shrugged but it hovered. Then it picked up Nidoran and soared above the tree. With an aerial view, Nidoran must have recognized the area now and pointed in a direction. Serena followed closely behind, hoping there would be enough berries.

* * *

Butterfree returned with wood by using Confusion. With some time and using Gust, it was able to dry the firewood. Ash lit a fire with some matches that instantly warmed the entire area up. He placed Charmander near the fire while checking on the progress of towels. Pidgeotto did manage to dry a few them mostly. Ash decided to swap the towels and give the Bird Pokémon a break. Surprisingly it was able to continue.

Pikachu and Eevee snuggled together next to Charmander with the fire being on the other side. They acted as a wall for the heat to bounce off. Butterfree lightly flapped its wings on the other side to push the heat towards the sleeping lizard Pokémon.

"Daisy, is there anything else I can do until Serena returns?" Ash asked.

"Unfortunately all we can do is wait and keep an eye on that tail," Daisy sighed. "I still can't believe a trainer would ditch such a loyal Pokémon like that. It makes me sick."

Ash nodded. "All because it couldn't win a single battle too. Too bad he released this Pokémon or else I would call the Guardians to have him arrested."

"He's probably done it before then," Daisy remarked. "Maybe I can get in contact with the League through dad to get him banned or disqualified."

"I wouldn't bother," Ash sighed. "Damian is some rich kid. I'm sure he has a lot of connections with money. Besides, I want the opportunity to meet him again at the League and beat him again!"

Daisy frowned. "Surely a champion's word and testimony would carry a lot of weight."

"Wouldn't be any good without any proof," Ash replied, tightening his fists. "We don't want to damage your dad's image now would we?"

Daisy sighed. "Then you better make sure he's defeated! Anyone is better than a person who views Pokémon as nothing but tools."

Before Ash could promise Daisy that he'll defeat that rich boy, he heard several footsteps followed by panting. At the entrance of the cave, Serena leaned against the wall with several berries in her arms. Her Nidoran had one in its mouth while another flying Pokémon had a few in its arms as well.

"Serena? Whose that with you?" Ash ran to get the berries.

She braced herself against the wall. "This is Ledyba. It was all alone so I invited it to join us. It even helped us locate the berries and find out way back."

"Thank you, Ledyba!" Ash stated before he ran to the back of the cave to grab a bowl.

Ledyba flew upwards and back in a circular motion. "Ledy!" It spread out its legs in appreciation. Then it flew towards the other Pokémon. They all greeted one another.

Ash put on a pair of gloves as he squeezed the juice into a bowl. The juice was of hot red color. Some tears fell from Ash's eyes as the spicy scent burned the inside of his nose. Once he squeezed ten, he brought the bowl to Charmander, gently lifting its head for it to slowly drink. Everyone waited and stared at its tail. One blink and they would have missed the flame getting brighter.

"It's working Daisy!" Ash exclaimed.

Serena let out a sigh of relief while resting against the wall.

"Thank goodness," Daisy said. "I'm glad I could be of help. Charmander needs lots of rest to regain its strength. To be on the safe side, I would give another round of juice after six hours. If its tail gets dimmer in between then or after, don't hesitate to call."

"We won't. Thanks, Daisy!" Ash and Serena stated before hanging up.

The teens smiled at one another as they continued to monitor Charmander's tail. It stayed pretty consistent over the next several hours with Ash and Serena taking turns to watch over it. When they were not watching it, they attended to their Pokémon and Ledyba.

The Five Star Pokémon seemed to have made quick friends with everyone. Compared to being alone in the rain, it seemed quite active. Butterfree and Pidgeotto switched roles in drying and fanning at the top of every hour. They stopped by dinner time and it was time for Gary's match.

Ash used his phone to check out the match. The Pewter City Gym was head by Brock Harrison, a man with tanned skin and spiky brown hair who wore an orange shirt under a green vest. Gary had sent out his Squirtle against Brock's Geodude, a rock looking Pokémon with a pair of arms.

"I can watch Charmander if you wanted to watch his match," Serena offered.

He was conflicted. He could gain valuable insight and knowledge on Brock's and Gary's strategies. On the other hand, he was pretty worried about Charmander. He recalled the battle it had with Pikachu and how amazing it managed to execute Damian's plans. The mere thought of Damian upset him.

"I'm switching to the radio feature so we can listen to it," Ash sighed. "We'll know when it ends when the announcer starts praising Gary."

Serena sat next to Ash against the wall with a blanket wrapped around her. "Thankfully we managed to get to it when we did. That Damian is sure something else. Between being a sore loser to an ungrateful individual."

"He doesn't deserve the right to be a trainer," he huffed. "I can't believe people like him exist. Not only that but people who steal Pokémon from others."

She gave him a hug while rubbing his back. "Unfortunately there are people out there. We just need to remind ourselves that the good outweighs the evil. Like Gary, Leaf, you, and me. We care a lot for our Pokémon and taught many people those same lessons."

He did feel better. Together, they watched the fire crackled while listening to the radio. Their Pokémon gathered around to help keep them warm.

"What an impressive victory for the champion's son, Gary Oak," the host on the radio said. "The rising star beat Brock with just his Squirtle!"

Ash frowned and sighed. The pressure kept building on him. Now he had to be perfect like Gary to avoid being ridiculed on any news broadcast. He was happy for his friend and impressed to a degree. That little Squirtle seemed to have a lot of fight inside of it.

_Ash: Way to go, Gary_

_Serena: Nice job! Can't believe you won with just Squirtle._

_Gary: Aw chucks. Thanks guys. It was pretty easy, to be frank. Even Ashy-Boy can beat that gym with one Pokémon. _

Just like that, they stopped caring to respond, except for when Leaf responded several minutes later.

_Leaf: You're right Gary, it would be pretty easy for Ash to beat a rock-type Gym with a water-type. Alternatively, he could probably easily have won with a grass type too! Also Congrats._

_Gary: Still, everyone knows that Brock is a pushover when it comes to battles._

Ash rolled his eyes. He couldn't tell if Gary was just being rude because of him or he truly felt that way about Brock. To be fair, his rival wasn't wrong when it comes to people's perception of the washed-up Ace Trainer. He reread the messages and wondered what had gotten into Leaf. Maybe he was looking too much into it.

_Leaf: Now that's just disrespectful_

_Serena: You'll just have to wait and see how Ash does in a few days. :P_

_Gary: We'll see. Hahaha._

A breeze entered the cave that caused everyone to shiver. Ash was concerned for the Pokémon's safety so he pulled out his Pokéballs.

"Back in the ball everyone," Ash stated. "Thanks for all your hard work in keeping Charmander warm. Now it's your turn to stay warm!"

"Yeah, thanks for helping us out," Serena added. "We can manage from here."

They returned Butterfree, Pidgeotto, and the Nidorans to their balls. Before they could reach for Pikachu's and Eevee's balls, the Pokémon broke free. They all cried out to their trainer.

"Why don't they want to go into their ball?" Serena asked.

Ash smiled, feeling their concerns. Even Pidgeotto wanted to stay out despite only just meeting. "Because they care about us and Charmander. If that's how they want to be, then let's bundle up."

They rearranged their camp to allow everyone to cuddle around them. Pikachu and Eevee pressed their bodies against Charmander once again. Butterfree and Pidgeotto fanned the heat towards the group. The Nidoran nested themselves by their trainers' feet. Ledyba sat next to Serena while the two trainers held each other under a cozy blanket.

Ash cuddled with Serena under a blanket, focusing on the sparkling flames. Even if today did not go according to plan, everything seemed right with the world. Part of him wanted this feeling to last forever as Serena had nodded off on his shoulder. He stayed up as long as he could, ensuring the flames stayed strong.

His eyes snapped opened upon feeling him tipped over. Serena was on top of him and quickly got up.

"Uh…morning!" She nervously chuckled.

Ash's cheeks began burning as he rubbed his head. "I guess I must have dozed off before I could set you in a more comfortable position." He was partially lying, but he didn't want things to be weird about it.

"I-It's fine!" Serena waved her hands out in front of her. "I should have dozed off when I did to leave you to take care of Charmander by yourself."

The commotion started to wake up the rest of the Pokémon. Pikachu and Eevee climbed onto their respective Trainer's shoulders. Pidgeotto and Butterfree hovered with Ledyba. The Nidoran chased one another around the campfire and Charmander.

Ash rolled over to check on the Lizard Pokémon. The flame on its tail appeared to be normal as far as he could tell. Its eyes stuttered opened.

"Char?" It managed to say.

The Pokémon parted ways to allow Ash to unwrap the Lizard Pokémon and helped it up. "Are you okay?"

"Charmander!" It nodded before looking around the area, lowering its head once again. "Mander?"

Ash frowned, feeling its disappointment but respected Charmander's loyalty. "I'm sorry Charmander, but Damian isn't here. I'm afraid he's not coming back either."

"Charmander?" It pressed its claws against its mouth with some tears forming around the eyes.

"It's the truth…he doesn't want you. But I think you're an awesome Pokémon that can be strong and deserves a lot more from their trainer." Ash extended his hand. "Why don't you join us?"

"Char?" It looked at Ash before looking around him.

Ash could feel the conflict inside. It must have grown attached to Damian for one reason or another, but it also didn't want to be ungrateful to the people who saved its life. All of the Pokémon sung their praises and encouraged it that seemed to ease its consciousness.

It turned back to Ash and hit his hand with its paw. "Char. Charmander!"

Ash smiled and pulled out a Pokéball. He pressed it against Charmander's head. The ball wiggled once before _Ding._ "Alright! I just caught a Charmander!" Everyone in the room stroke a pose with him. He read the Pokédex for additional information.

_Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. The flame at the tip of its tail makes a sound as it burns. You can only hear it in quiet places. The flame also indicates its life force. When healthy, the flame burns brightly._

_Gender: Male  
Ability: Blaze  
Nature: Rash_

Ledyba buzzed around in joy while releasing a pleasant, sweet scent. Then it stopped in front of Serena. "Ledyba!" It motioned towards Ash with the Pokéball."

Serena blinked. "You want to follow me?"

It nodded. "Ledyba!"

She smiled and grabbed a Pokéball. It pressed the button and it was sucked into the ball. It wiggled three times before _ding._

"Alright! I just caught a Ledyba!" Just like before, the entire group joined in the celebratory pose. Her Pokédex provided additional information.

_Gender: Male_

_Ability: Swarm_

_Nature: Timid_

Both Trainers were happy that they made some new friends. Together with their Pokémon, they admired the sunny skies. Ash, in particular, was looking forward to his upcoming Gym Battle.

* * *

**AN: I hoped you enjoyed that chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts or questions.**

**Next Time: Pewter City Showdowns Part 1 ("Is this your Pikachu?")**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: Why is Damian a rich boy? When should we expect to see him again?**

**I was trying to figure out how he could be a different jerk than Cross and Paul. I figured a rich kid with a snobby attitude would fit nicely. Um, I think we see him in one of the planned tournament arcs I have planned next. I wanted to make him a rival because I feel like it'll help enrich Charmander's story that I have planned.**

**Q: Why did I have Ash catch Charmander this early? It won't help at all at the first two Gyms**

**This chapter was inspired by how Ash caught Charmander in I Choose You and I think he was in Viridian Forest. Though I could be wrong on that. At the end of the day, I wanted to space things out or rearrange certain events.**

**Q: Why did I have Ash catch Pidgeotto here instead of the last chapter?**

**I really wanted to give Ash and Serena the Nidoran to show that I'm giving them non-cannon Pokemon and I wanted to avoid giving Ash three Pokemon in one chapter with only giving Serena only one. I shifted the capture to pay tribute to both original episodes in which they're captured. Pidgeotto still attacking a Pokemon is my replacement of Spearows attacking Charmander.**

**Q: What was the exact requirements for Ash to rank up in trainer class?**

**There are multiple ways and criteria. From Rookie to Trainer, one can either win 20 battles or earn themselves a badge. **

**Q: Why did I give Serena a Ledyba? Is it not like one of the worst Pokemon?**

**Contests don't require a rigorous team of strong Pokemon like Leagues and I think I have a decent idea on how to show some growth with it.**

**Q: Will Gary and Leaf be contacted in every chapter?**

**No. Only when something is relevant, I will be having them pop up like that. I think it can add a lot of subtle context for certain elements.**

**Q: Wait a minute, isn't Ledyba only found in Johto?**

**Maybe in the games, but I'm not restricting my world to regional based Pokedex. This is something I forgot to mention in the last part but yeah, there are migration patterns among other reasons why one might find other Pokemon in different regions.**

**Q: How many moves to Pokemon know?**

**As of right now, about 6. I might increase it to 8 pending on how I feel about certain moves or battles. The increase allows me to come up with strategies more easily and use some moves you might not see otherwise.**

**Q: When did Rapid Spin increase speed?**

**I believe its Sword and Shield as I found that surprising at first. **


	6. Pewter City Showdowns Part 1

**Chapter 6: Pewter City Showdowns Part 1**

Serena waltz through the front doors of the Pokémon Center with a big smile on her face. How could she not be happy with roaming around Pewter City with Ash? They walked through a park, seen tons of statues of rock-type Pokémon, and witnessed some battles.

Well, she witnessed some battles while Ash participated in a few, bring his record to a clean 10-0 record. Not on the level of Gary, but it was something. She had been impressed with his work ethics and how each of his Pokémon had performed thus far. The exception was Charmander and she couldn't blame him for sidelining it.

Despite being better compared to when they found it, Ash didn't feel confident until he had a professional look at it. That didn't stop poor Charmander from pleading with Ash.

The honey-blonde had been practicing different routines with her Pokémon and pinning her own Pokémon against one another to get into the groove of the battling style.

Both arrived at the front desk where a woman that looked like Dr. Joy stood. Instead of wearing a lab coat, she wore pink scrubs. Her hair was in a bun instead of loops. Could this really be Dr. Joy?

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center of Pewter City," the woman greeted. "I'm Nurse Joy, how can I help you today?"

Serena's brain started to hurt. How could she be both a nurse and a doctor? "Are you not Dr. Joy?"

The nurse laughed and pulled out a picture of multiple women that all looked like Dr. Joy as well as Nurse Joy. "You must have met one of my cousins. We all look alike and share the same last name. However, don't let looks fool you. We all specialize in different areas of the healthcare field." She leaned in after looking around. "Don't let them know that I think I'm the cutest among them all!"

Upon closer inspection, Serena noticed the subtle differences such as different hairstyles and fashion choices. One of them had bangs while another one preferred pigtails. Another one wore scarves and another wore sunglasses. The more she looked at them, the more she was amazed they were not all twins of some kind.

Judging on Ash's expression, he was clueless about telling them apart.

Eevee and Pikachu hopped onto the table, looking back and forth between the picture and their respective trainers.

Serena awkwardly smiled, thinking that the Pokémon didn't understand the concept of unique appearances as much.

Nurse Joy pressed a finger to her lips. "Hmm, if I had a guess, I would say you met Dr. Joy of Viridian City!"

"How did you know that?" Ash asked.

"My cousin informed me of a pair of trainers wearing hats with an Eevee and a Pikachu helped Giovanni," she answered. "I assumed she was talking about you two."

Serena snapped her fingers. "That's us! We were hoping to get a couple of rooms, get our Pokémon checked up, and I wanted to sign up for a Contest Pass." She placed on the counter, her Pokéballs, phone, and endorsement letter.

Ash did the same with his Pokéballs. "Is it possible to have Charmander get some examinations? I'm worried that it still hasn't recovered from nearly losing its life force when I found it."

"Of course," Nurse Joy noted it down before placing the balls into trays and pressing a button.

From the back, a Chansey appeared to grab the tray of Pokéballs. It motioned for Eevee and Pikachu to follow it.

Nurse Joy took the phone and connected it to the computer. She quickly glanced at the letter with a smile. With a few clicks there and typing here, she set on the counter a couple of keys, the phone, a blue box with a cute ribbon sigil on top, and a book.

"You're all set," she declared. "The rooms are next to one another upstairs. Serena, your phone has the Contest Pass app. It'll allow you to sign up for Contests and keep up with the latest developments around the competition. It'll also serve as proof of identity at the Contest Halls. Lastly, here's a box for your Ribbons and a Ball Capsule for some flare!"

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" The teens said in unison.

"Not a problem at all," she replied. "We'll call for you when your Pokémon are done with their checkups. My estimate is about a half-hour or so."

Serena grasped the box in her hands with the Ball Capsule on top. Her eyes watched as the light danced in the glass ball. In some ways, her childhood dream was becoming a reality. Excitement brewed as she couldn't wait to participate in an actual Contest. She just had to tell her mother as soon as possible!

Within the lobby, she found a spot near a glass window to make the call. Her best friend also joined her in the spot to call his mother.

He managed to get ahold of his mom first. Not surprisingly, she and Grace were sitting in the Ketchum Special Restaurant along with Leaf's mom, Amber.

Ash would normally invite everyone to his mother's restaurant for some kind of celebration like obtaining their respective licenses or any kind of discoveries.

"Was that so hard you two?" Grace folded her arms.

Serena hung her head low, hating that her mother had a point. "I guess not."

"Uh…" Ash cleared his throat. "I was calling to inform you that I'm planning on challenging the Pewter City Gym in a couple of days."

Delia clasped her hands. "That's wonderful! I'll be sure to have every TV here watching for you!"

Ash laughed while scratching the back of his head. He appeared to be nervous about his first important battle and having most people from home watching.

"I'll be sure to catch it too," Grace added.

That surprised Serena as Grace ran many Rhyhorn Racing camps across different regions. Typically she was too busy to keep up with many sporting competitions during the day. Perhaps she would make an exception for a close family friend.

"Aside from the Gym Challenge, is there anything new with you two?" Her mother asked.

They explained what had transpired in Viridian Forest and delighted to hear Pikachu's newfound affection towards Ash. They were even prouder of the fact they helped to save a Charmander from its terrible fate and out of the clutches of Damian.

"I have an announcement!" Serena said.

Their mothers and Amber leaned into the screen, making the honey-blonde regret not being inside her room to make the call.

"I just received my Contest Pass and officially became a Coordinator!" Serena exclaimed. "I'm planning on making my debut in Cerulean City!"

Amber left the frame, appearing to head for the bathroom. Delia laughed while leaning against her seat.

Grace closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "What made you decide to do Contests?"

"We watched a Contest featuring Aria in the Galar Region," Serena explained. "Eevee seemed really inspired by the performances and battling style and wanted to try one out so I've been preparing for our debut!"

"I see," her mother smirked. "I honestly should have seen this coming, but nonetheless as long as you're happy, I can't complain. Seems like you discovered something you can be passionate about. Does this mean you also discovered a topic?"

Serena hung her head and sighed. She should have figured that her mother wouldn't let her off the hook so easily. "Not yet, but we've made some progress with Ash and his topic."

Ash awkwardly smiled. "Uh, yeah…I've been observing my Pokémon more closely so I can determine what they want to do later on in terms of goals. Giovanni wasn't kidding when he said learning of their goals was a challenge. What I don't understand is Pikachu's fascination with ketchup?"

That got a laugh out of their mothers.

"Considering your important Gym Battle isn't for a couple of dates, I have the perfect place for you to train and get some delicious food!" Delia remarked. "According to a few of my customers, a restaurant known as the Battle Buffet recently opened. Not only do they serve food to people and Pokémon, but the meals can be for free if you win a battle!"

Ash adjusted his hat and a big old smirk. It was like seeing a child open presents on Christmas. "Sign me up! What do you say, Serena?"

Having a romantic dinner with Ash was also a dream come true. This day kept on getting better and better for the honey-blonde. Though a problem popped her bubble. It wasn't truly a date if they had to watch over their Pokémon. That in itself was like watching seven babies. Maybe if Leaf had traveled with them, she could have gotten in a date with him.

"How can I say no to a free meal?" She finally answered.

Ash pumped his fist. "I can't wait to tell Pikachu!"

Serena's stomach growled at the aroma of delicious food in the air. Along with Ash, Eevee, and Pikachu, she stood inside of the busy Battle Buffet. Many tables were full of people with their Pokémon surrounding them.

A woman greeted them. She had brown hair down her back, wore a black dress shirt with a red ribbon tie, and a white apron tied around her waist.

"Welcome to the Battle Buffet," she said. "I'm Lola and I will be your hostess today. Will it just be you two?" They nodded. "Excellent, follow me to your table."

The hostess led them around the dining area to a wonderful table next to the window, overlooking the battlefield in a small arena. Ash couldn't take his eyes off the action as he sat down.

Serena sighed, hoping he would have at least pulled out her chair but it can't be helped.

"I don't think I've seen you two around here before," Lola said while taking out a notepad. "Is this your first time in the city?"

The raven-haired boy nodded. "I'm here to challenge Brock to a Gym Battle! My mom suggested that I come here to get some extra training in before my match."

Lola made a note of it. "That's certainly exciting. You know, I just feel terrible for that young man."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked, curious as to why someone would be worried about a Gym Leader of all people. They have adoring fans everywhere and they could more than support themselves.

"Brock's father, Flint originally ran the Gym," Ash answered. "I still remember the news of him leaving for some kind of journey. Soon after, his mother left his family often too for some reason. Because of his siblings, he's been stuck here as Gym Leader to support his family."

Serena couldn't believe his parents would abandon their family like that. "That's horrible."

Lola nodded slowly. "The worst part is, Brock never wanted to become a Gym Leader. He had wanted to become a Pokémon Doctor for the longest of time."

"Really?" Ash blinked. "I never knew that."

The hostess quickly laughed. "Silly me, that's what I just heard around these parts. Anyways, I'll let you look over the menu. Feel free to release your Pokémon. Perhaps they'll have some input on what they want to eat." She went to check in on the other customers.

"Wow, I never knew a life of a Gym Leader could be tough," Serena remarked and turning towards Ash. "Do you think you'll be able to beat him knowing that he's supporting his family?"

Ash grimaced but nodded. "If I want to get to the Regional League, I have to beat him. Besides, he gets paid either way. Though, he's been in a rot last time I checked. If it continues, the League might just replace him altogether."

Serena clasped her hands by her heart. "For his sake, I hope he breaks out of it soon and keeps on winning. Of course, I hope you beat him first."

"I knew what you meant," Ash laughed.

The teens released their Pokémon to get their input of food first before browsing through the menu themselves. When Lola returned, they ordered type-specific flavored food for their Pokémon while splitting a plate of fried rice, dumplings, and curry among them. As they ate, they watched the series of battles in the other room and talking about different battles they remembered from watching the League and Contests.

"Man, I'm stuffed!" Ash patted his belly. "That was really great!"

Serena nodded in agreement while patting her mouth with a napkin. "I can't eat another bite. It does mean our check will be coming soon. Did you decide on who you're going to use for the battle?"

Ash turned to his roaster of Pokémon and they turned to face him as well. Each of them had a pleading look on their faces, hoping they would be the one to get picked. Lots to consider with Pikachu and Butterfree having the most experience. Nidoran was the front candidate for the Gym Battle so it could use another battle. Pidgeotto had been great in tight situations. Charmander was a wildcard with its lack of experience battling with Ash.

"Tough call," he remarked. "I'm not sure about the rules and it'll depend on what my opponent chooses."

"Certainly a wise idea to wait," Lola chuckled, walking to the table with the ticket. Their meal cost nearly a hundred Pokédollars. "I'm glad you enjoyed the food. Shall we head over to the battlefield?"

Ash nodded vigorously. "What can you tell us about the battle? Is it against another customer or a staff member?"

Lola laughed. "Why don't I show you two?"

They followed her around the dining area, down a hallway, and into the arena with their Pokémon. Upon entering, they could hear the crowd of people compared to being on the other side.

Two people were battling one another. One of them wore a chef's uniform, had a beard, and a chef's hat on. His skin tone was tanner as well. Same with the trainer against him in terms of skin. He wore a green striped shirt and had brown spiky hair.

On the field was a Geodude and a Rhyhorn. Seeing the Rhyhorn made Serena think of the one her mother owned. As far as she could tell, the Rhyhorn on the field had a thicker rock hide.

"Rock Blast, Rhyhorn!" The Trainer shouted.

The chef folded his arms. "Rock Throw!"

Rhyhorn conjured boulders around its mouth and launched a series of them at Geodude, one-by-one.

The Geodude impressively caught the rocks before tossing them back, raining down upon Rhyhorn's back and breaking into pieces.

Rhyhorn appeared to be unfazed by it, but it did stop its attack.

"Rock Smash!" The chef ordered.

"Smack Down!" The trainer countered.

Geodude lunged forward, pulling its right arm back.

Rhyhorn shifted to the side as Geodude threw its punch. With its mouth, it grabbed ahold of Geodude's arm and slammed it to the ground.

"Stomp!" The Trainer followed up.

The Spikes Pokémon pounced on top of Geodude, using its right foot to stomp the Rock Pokémon repeatedly. The ground lightly shook due to the impact. After several hits, Rhyhorn walked away.

"Geodude is unable to battle!" The judge declared. "The winner of this match is our customer, Forrest and thus his meal is for free!"

The crowd of people clapped and cheered. Both contestants exchanged a few words in the middle of the field after returning their Pokémon.

"Woah," Ash gasped. "Am I fighting the chef?"

Lolo nodded proudly. "Not just any chef, but the Head Chef and my lovely husband."

Serena clasped her hands. "How lovely. This is a family-owned restaurant."

Forrest walked passed them with a grin. He must be happy to save some money.

Ash and his Pokémon crowded around the trainer box. Serena and her Pokémon walked over to the side to get a better angle. The honey-blonde had no doubt that Ash would win.

The chef returned to his trainer box before addressing Ash. "My name is Frank. Who might you be?"

Ash pounded his chest. "I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

Frank raised an eyebrow with the crowd whispering among themselves. "I see." He pulled out his phone. "You must also be here to challenge the Gym. Shall we see what you're made of?" Both of them used the VS Seeker to make this an official battle. "Onix, steel yourself!"

A large snake-like Pokémon, constructed of multiple boulders, and horns on its head appeared. "Onix!" It roared.

Ash smirked and turned to his Pokémon. It appeared that he wanted to use Nidoran when Charmander ran onto the field.

"You want to battle?" He crouched down.

"Char!" It cutely flexed its claws.

Ash closed his eyes before standing. "Then let's show them what we can do!"

Frank frowned. "Are you sure Charmander is the right choice?"

Serena, unfortunately, had to agree. Charmander hadn't battled let alone trained with Ash yet. Still, she had to believe he had some sort of plan if he agreed to it.

"Of course I'm sure!" Ash answered. "I can feel Charmander's determination. We'll win this for sure!"

"Have it your way," The chef closed his eyes.

"This will be a one-on-one match between Frank and the challenger Ash," the judge stated. "If Ash wins, his meal will be for free. If he loses, he'll have to pay as normal. No time limit. Begin!"

Serena raised an eyebrow, seeing neither competitor make a move. The Pokémon stared one another down, waiting for any kind of instruction. She would have thought both sides wanted to get into the heat of the action right away unless they were trying to wait for an ideal moment.

Ash furrowed his eyebrows, formed fists, and visibly shook. He battled in front of some people before but it was not as large of a crowd as the restaurant. Could he be nervous or waiting for Frank to make the first move?

Serena furrowed her eyebrows after seeing how nervous he was becoming. "Come on Ash! You can do it!" Her Pokémon along with his Pokémon cheered as well.

Finally, Ash decided to make his move. "Start off with Ember!"

"Rock Throw!" Frank countered.

Charmander swung its tail with shards of flame soaring across the field.

Onix slammed its tail on the ground, conjuring rocks in the air to bat. The rocks sniffed out the flames and continued towards its target.

"Flame Charge towards Onix!" Ash commanded.

"Dragon Breath!" Frank ordered without batting an eye.

Flames engulfed Charmander's body as it dashed forward to evade the flying rocks.

The Rock Snake Pokémon unleashed a burst of blue fiery energy in front of Charmander.

Serena winced at the impact despite the attack not scoring a direct hit, but rather the explosion caused Charmander to roll back towards Ash. She clenched her hands and paid attention to Ash's movements, hoping that he could come from behind to win.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked. The Pokémon stood up and nodded. "Great, let's show them our own Dragon Breath!"

"Dragon Breath again!"

The attacks clashed in the middle, evenly matched.

Serena took a step back in disbelief. How could an Onix match Charmander's special attacking power? Ash better think of something and fast.

Frank folded his arms. "Let's end this. Rock Polish into Rage!"

Onix roared as dirt flew off its rocky skin, increasing its mobility. It slithered and made its way closer to Charmander.

"Dragon Breath!" Ash snapped out of his daze.

The Lizard Pokémon managed to score a direct hit across the face; however, Onix pushed through the pain to build up its rage.

"Metal Claws!" Ash followed up.

Charmander shifted gears with its claws being encased in steel, hoping towards Onix's face, and slashing it across the face.

The Rock Snake Pokémon arched its back and swung its tail that smacked Charmander into the air before driving it to the ground with a dust cloud filling the field.

Serena held her breath, hoping that Charmander was able to continue battling. Alas, when the dust settled, the Lizard Pokémon was down for the count.

"Charmander is unable to battle!" The judge declared. "This means the victor is our very own Frank the Head Chef and the challenger must pay the bill!"

The crowd talked amongst themselves. Some of them were being plain rude and drove Serena crazy. Ash was like any ordinary trainer and could lose. Despite being the son of a legend, he could not always win.

Ash ran over to Charmander and coddled it in his arms, appeared to be worried about the injuries. He weakly smiled. "Thanks, Charmander. You put up a good fight."

Charmander appeared to have turned its head into his chest. If Serena didn't know any better, she would say that it was crying having lost a battle. Not its fault. Frank was just better this time around.

"Rest for now," Ash continued, returning his Pokémon to the ball.

Frank returned Onix before meeting with Ash in the middle. "Young man, I'm sorry but you can't possibly beat the Pewter City Gym nor any Gym for that matter. Not with that team you have nor any surprise moves you have up your sleeve."

Serena frowned and dug her foot into the floor. Talk about poor sportsmanship or curtesy to a paying customer. What gave him the right to judge Ash's ability to beat a Gym Leader?

"What makes you say that?" Ash gritted his teeth. "You only battled against one of my Pokémon that had a disadvantage."

The Chef scoffed. "This could have been a one-on-five and you still would have lost. The Gym Challenge isn't for children who think it's fun and games to make a quick buck. It's a serious competition that tests a Trainer's bond with their Pokémon. Until you start taking your training seriously, you will never beat a Gym Leader."

Part of the crowded roared in agreement. The rest of the crowd had their apprehension considering the legacy.

Serena wanted to stand up for her friend but noticed that he lowered his cap in anger. She rushed onto the field and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here."

He lowered his head, sighing. Turning around, he returned his Pokémon except for Pikachu and headed to the front with Lola to pay for our food. Serena followed his lead out the door.

Her best friend had his hands in his pockets, sloughing, and walked a few paces ahead of Serena.

"PikaPi…" Pikachu somberly said from his shoulder, probably worried that he had been silent since beginning the walk.

Ash lightly petted it, pretending everything was okay when the words that Frank uttered had deeply hurt him in some way. Was it a pride thing or was this something else?

Serena didn't know what to do or say. Sure, she had seen him lose to Gary plenty of times, but this loss was different. He didn't have the determination to train and come back tomorrow night to prove Frank wrong. It was if the person she knows was no longer inside. What happened to never give up until it's over?

Upon arriving at the Pokémon Center, he handed Charmander to Nurse Joy. Then he wandered off to the back where a battlefield was located. He sat at one of the benches while looking upward towards the sky. He soon lowered his head, probably realizing he was no longer in Pallet Town where he could see the stars.

The honey-blonde watched from afar with her hands close to her heart. She wanted to help, but couldn't find the right thing to say.

Eevee licked her face. "Vee?"

Serena ignored Eevee's attempt for attention.

The Evolution Pokémon hopped down from her shoulder and sent a flurry of star-bolts into the air that grabbed her attention. In its mouth, it bit into one of the bolts as it was a cookie.

"Eevee, you're a genius!" Serena's eyes widened, picking up her Pokémon to kiss its cheek, and heading off to the kitchen area.

* * *

The aspiring Pokémon Master stared at the dirt ground as a gentle breeze swept through the area. All he could think about was the battle he had horribly made a mess out of. First, he sent out a Charmander with hardly any training he had done with it. Second, he realized why Charmander had been so determined.

It must have felt the need to prove its worth on Ash's team after the heartbreak it went through with Damian. To it, winning a battle would immediately prove its worth. How could he have been blind to Charmander's first goal?

Images of Charmander turning its head in shame made his heart race. His hands grasping his knees with all of his strength.

Pikachu tapped his body many times before looking upward from the ground. It tried to cheer Ash up with a variety of silly faces, but none of them was very effective. The Electric Mouse crossed its paws and launched an electric attack that zapped Ash.

"AHH!" Ash fell to the ground from the jolt and looked at Pikachu who had no remorse for the pain it just caused. "What was that for?"

His little buddy threw some punches. "Pika. Pika. Pikachu!" Then it swung its tail.

The young man felt a sense of determination coming from Pikachu. He guessed that it wasn't happy with Frank's words either and wanted to prove him wrong as much as he did. "You're right Pikachu. We're not giving up just because some chef thinks I'm trash. Let's work together with our friends and prove him and the rest of those doubters wrong!"

"Pikachu!" It cheered. Suddenly, its cheeks sparked that even surprised Pikachu. It began running across the field.

Ash followed his little buddy until he noticed another Pikachu hiding behind a bush. Instead of a straight lightning bolt for a tail, it had a heart-shaped end. It also had a pink bow tied around one of its ears.

"Pika?" His Pikachu asked.

"Pika. Pika." The female Pikachu ran out of the bush with its paws pressed against its mouth.

Ash kneeled next to it, believing it belonged to another person. "Are you lost?"

"Pikachu!" A woman called out. She had blue hair that was shoulder length with a darker blue headband. She wore a blue collared shirt with an orange necktie, a dark blue vest, and a green skirt. She locked eyes with Ash and rushed over to him. "There you are!"

Ash rose while rubbing his neck. "Is this your Pikachu?"

"Yes," she answered. "Thank you so much for finding it." She turned to her Pikachu and placing her hands beside her hips. "I've been worried sick about you. Don't go running off like that while I talk to some people! You could have gotten lost!"

"Cha," her Pikachu replied while nuzzling at her leg in a pleading attempt for forgiveness. Then it pointed towards Ash's Pikachu.

The woman sighed before looking at Ash. "Your name is Dash right?"

That was a new one for him, but he didn't know why she knew him. "Uh, it's actually Ash."

She leaned in with her hands behind her back. "Oh? I could have sworn that was your name considering how handsome you look."

"Why thanks," he laughed. "Um… you're…" He tried to think of a compliment that wasn't super basic. "…really pleasant-looking um…"

"Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself." She placed a hand over her chest. "I'm Miette and that's sweet of you. You already met my Pikachu. Between you and me, I think my Pikachu must have liked your Pikachu since the Battle Buffet."

The two Pikachus chased one another.

"So you were also at the Battle Buffet, huh?" He laughed nervously. "I guess you must have seen my horrible battle against Frank then."

She swatted the air. "For what it's worth, I think that Frank character was way out of line. Talk about rude to one of his customers and how can he judge you on your training after one battle. A battle with a type-disadvantage if I may add. Your Charmander almost beat that Onix too."

Ash blinked several times. "You really think so?"

"Of course! That Onix took a beating to build up Rage. Regardless of the end result, the damage still takes a toll. If Charmander had a little left in its gas tank or evaded it, who knows what could have happened. You still had a fighting chance at that point."

He never considered that possibility and grinned. Though, he couldn't take hypotheticals into his mistakes. He had to learn from them if he had any shot at the Regional League. "Maybe." Nonetheless, he appreciated the words of encouragement.

_Thud_.

Looking back at the entrance, he noticed Serena standing there with her mouth wide open. On the floor was a basket. Eevee jumped off her shoulder and dashed across the field where it bashed against Miette's Pikachu and then casting Attract upon his Pikachu.

Miette's Pikachu attempted to zap Eevee when Pikachu's stepped in the way to absorb the blow. Not willing to give up, it cast its own Attract on Pikachu.

Eevee wasn't having any of it and cast Attract right back. The two went back on forth on how Pikachu was infatuated with.

"Pikachu, knock it off this instance!" Miette scolded. "Whose Eevee is this anyway?"

Ash ignored what was happening and heading over to his friend's side, spooked by her appearance. It was if she had seen a Gengar. "Is something wrong?"

Serena slowly blinked and crotched to the ground to pick up the basket. "Uh, yes. I'm fine…I was just surprised by Eevee's sudden burst of energy." She presented the basket filled with star-shaped cookies. "Uh…Ta-da! I made these for you."

"Whoa," Ash said in amazement. "I didn't know you could make cookies into stars."

His best friend giggled. "I made them that way because you looked like you wanted to look at the stars so here are some stars."

He looked at her with some admiration. He quickly grabbed a piece and ate it whole. "These are great! Thanks so much."

Miette marched her way in between them with her hands beside her hips. "I take it that's your Eevee who is terrorizing Ash's Pikachu's heart? You should really teach it some manners and the true meaning of love!"

Serena frowned. "Excuse me? Who do you think you are trying to tell me how to raise my Pokémon?"

"Uh, Serena this Miette." Ash got in between them. "Her Pikachu was lost but managed to recognize Pikachu from the Battle Buffet." He faced Miette. "Miette, this is Serena, my best friend."

The honey-blonde blinked. "Wait a minute, you're the winner of the Pewter City Pokémon Contest."

"That's right!" Miette pounded her chest. "My Pikachu helped me get past the performance stage while my Meowistic helped me win in the finals."

Ash scratched his head, trying to remember which region they're commonly found. "That means…"

"She's from the Kalos region," Serena beat him to the punch while folding her arms.

Miette nodded while looking at Serena. "That's where I'm from. Judging on your fashion choices, I would say you're from there as well."

"When I was young, I lived there for a time," Serena answered. "For the past eleven years, I have been living in Pallet Town of the Kanto Region."

"That's where I'm from too," Ash laughed. "You two have quite a bit in common. Both from the Kalos region and Coordinators as well."

"Why kind of Coordinator are you?" Miette asked.

Serena closed her eyes. "Rookie…I just got my Contest Pass today and planning on making my debut in Cerulean City."

"Funny," Miette laughed. "That's the next one I'm part taking in as well only I'm a Seasoned Coordinator. I participated unwisely in the Kalos Circuit when Aria was still stealing people's hearts. I want to meet her one day in a Contest and surpass her."

"That sounds like an amazing goal to have," Ash remarked. "Surpassing an idol or role model. Haha. I suppose I'm no different since I'm doing the Gym Challenge."

Serena cleared her throat. "Aria's my idol too. Maybe one day I will meet her in a Contest, but for now, I'm participating because Eevee is invested."

Miette flicked her hair over her shoulder. "You're not going to make it far with that reasoning."

"And what's wrong with having a little fun? Especially when it comes to Eevee's happiness?"

"Nothing," Miette shrugged her shoulders. "No one will take you seriously, including me."

Serena stomped her foot. "I'll show you!"

Miette raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why don't you prove it?" She pointed at Serena. "I challenge you to a battle!"

"A battle?" Serena blinked.

"You might sound like a Coordinator but you certainly don't act like one," Miette rolled her eyes. "Let's see if you're all talk or maybe you have some skills."

Ash was interested to see how Serena handled herself in battle. She only participated in the annual camp competition with some success. Usually, she would get knocked out by Gary or Ash in the second rounds.

"Show her what you can do," he courage.

His best friend nodded in agreement.

Both ladies took their positions in Trainer Boxes with Ash acting as the judge. Eevee and Miette's Pikachu were on the battlefield.

"This is a one-on-one match between Miette and Serena," Ash declared. "Begin!"

Serena made the first move. "Quick Attack!"

"Quick Attack as well!" Miette shouted.

Both Pokémon zigged and zagged across the battlefield, colliding in the middle.

What appeared to be an even match turned out to be part of Miette's plan. Pikachu curled up in a ball and rolled on top of Eevee's back.

"Thunder Shock!" Miette ordered.

Pikachu zapped Eevee and started to perform a dance routine involving hopping on Eevee's back and flicking its tail against Eevee's face.

Ash was impressed with Miette's usage of the physique as it was another way to exhaust an opposing Pokémon. He wondered if Pikachu was willing to dance.

"Bite!" Serena commanded.

Eevee bit into Pikachu's tail and managed to toss it off of it.

"Swift!" Serena followed up.

Eevee unleashed a flurry of star-bolts at Pikachu.

"Dig into Thunder Punch!" Miette countered.

Pikachu took a few hits before digging underground. Moments later, it popped underneath where Eevee was standing and uppercut the Evolution Pokémon. At the end of its attack, it performed several twirls before landing on the ground.

"Swift!" Serena yelled.

Eevee tossed and turned before wagging its tail to have it rain star-bolts.

Ash smiled at the pretty sight of shooting stars. He didn't know if Serena did it on purpose, but aside from the cookies, he was able to see the stars.

"Quick Attack into Electroweb!" Miette stated.

Pikachu danced in the shower of shooting stars to get closer to Eevee and launching an electrifying web.

The web encapsulated Eevee, shocking it on its way down.

"Eevee!" Serena shouted.

Ash frowned at her friend. "Eevee is unable to battle which means Miette and her Pikachu are the winners!"

Serena coddled Eevee in her arms, lips quivered, and eyes looked at the ground. "I'm sorry, Eevee. I should have battled other people in these past days with you and our team."

"If you thought Contests were only just the performance stage, then you'll have a rude awakening in the battle stage," Miette shook her head. "It takes serious coordination and time to develop those habits and skills."

Ash nodded slowly while patting Serena on the shoulder. "Cheer up, what did you expect when battling a Season Coordinator? Once you start battling some more, you'll eventually catch up and be able to beat her."

The honey-blonde looked up while guiding her hair back. "Then I guess you'll have to step up your game as well because I'll work hard to surpass you too."

Ash liked the sound of that. He faced Miette and looked at his Pikachu. "Hey, think you can show me some of your moves with Pikachu? I would like to adopt some of it into my battling style."

Miette smiled. "Sure thing, Ash. If you wanted, I can be your training partner until you challenge the Gym."

He appreciated the gesture as the PA system called for his name. He ran off to the front desk to retrieve his Charmander before returning to the battlefield to release all of his Pokémon.

The young man felt a variety of emotions. Charmander felt sad and looked to the ground. Pidgeotto was angry and flapped its wings into the air, generating a breeze. Butterfree was concerned and did a light dance around him. Nidoran dug its foot into the ground while Pikachu snapped out of the last Attract spell.

"First, I want to congratulate Charmander for its bravery and hard-fought battle." Ash clapped while his Pokémon cheered."

Charmander's eyes widened as it looked around at its friends. It looked like it wanted to cry.

"We can't always win, but we won't let losing get in our way to greatness," Ash continued. "Obviously we have a lot of work we need to do in terms of training. Let's prove the doubters wrong and win our first Badge!"

His Pokémon roared in agreement, all except for Charmander.

It looked to the ground, still sad. "Charmander…"

Ash kneeled before it with his Pokémon crowding around him. "Win or lose, I'll never abandon you or any of my Pokémon." The Lizard Pokémon looked upwards at his eyes. "We're a family. Now and forever!"

Charmander hugged his leg with a stream of tears falling down its face. Soon after, Pikachu joined in around his chest. Butterfree and Pidgeotto used their wings to hug Ash from his shoulders with Nidoran lightly rubbing against his other leg.

Ash hugged it all out with his Pokémon before standing. "Alright, time for some special training!"

* * *

Serena stared in awe at the stadium of the Pewter City Gym, a rectangular building with several statues of different rock-type Pokémon littered around it. Ash led the way in with Miette following close behind along with her.

Despite having plans originally to head to Cerulean City, Miette decided to stay to cheer on Ash much to Serena's dismay. The honey-blonde supposed it was only fitting considering all of the training Miette helped with Ash. All Serena had to show for was pages of notes of his Pokémon's strengths, weaknesses, and strategies.

They headed towards the counter where Ash presented his phone.

The clerk typed away at their keyboard before turning to the challenger. "You're all set. Head to the locker room on the right. Unless one of these ladies is your coach, I'm afraid this is where you'll have to part ways. Good luck and I can't wait to see your match."

Ash sheepishly laughed. "Thanks." He turned towards his friends. "I suppose I'll meet you around here after my match."

"Good luck!" Miette said. "Prove the doubters all wrong!"

Serena couldn't believe Miette beat her to the punch again. "You'll be amazing out there, I just know it."

Ash headed off to the locker room with Pikachu by his side. She couldn't blame the poor thing. Between Eevee and Miette's Pikachu, it hardly had any time to itself.

Serena and Miette paid for the entry fee to the stadium. Luckily for them, it was early enough that they were still cheap at 10 Pokédollars and hardly anyone was at the stadium considering different kinds of jobs.

They headed off to the left and roamed around until they found the perfect type of seating with a clear horizontal view of the field. Across from their seating was a scoreboard with Brock Harrison filling one half of the screen and the challenger with the other. In between matches, they would show a couple of replays and a list of the next competitor.

It did not take long before the crowd started to talk about Ash.

"Am I missing something here?" Miette asked.

Serena found it odd that Miette didn't recognize Ash's last name. She thought everyone in the world would have heard of the legendary Red. "Do you not know that Ash is the son of a legendary Trainer?"

Miette shook her head. "That explains a whole lot. Pretty awful that people only see him as a byproduct of his father then. If only they got to see the man he truly is."

Serena couldn't help but agree with her. Eevee climbed onto Serena's head, probably to get a better view of the field.

The honey-blonde rooted for Brock to win his matches and he sported a 5-3 record prior to Ash being next in line. Surprisingly to everyone in the stadium, a staff member handed him a pair of flags and he stepped onto the middle of the rocky field.

"Our next challenger comes from Pallet Town and son of the one and only Red Ketchum!" The announcer hyped up the crowd. "Let's give a warm welcome to the Rookie Trainer, Ash Ketchum!"

The crowd clapped as Ash walked onto the field. He paused for a moment before stepping onto the trainer box. Did he know what was going on?

Brock sported a silver jacket with his badge emblem on the back with spiky hair. "Welcome, Ash. I'm Brock Harrison, Gym Leader of Pewter City, but you probably already know that. I'm honored to see you chose my Gym to be your first stop on the way to the Pokémon League. However, I'll have to disappoint you, but I will not be your opponent today!"

Serena tilted her head. As far as she understood, Brock was the Gym Leader. Didn't he have to face Ash by rule?

"It's my honor to introduce you to my newly appointed Gym Leader in Training, Forrest Harrison!" Brock gestured towards the opposing trainer box.

Walking out of the trainer tunnel was the man that they saw at the Battle Buffet. He waved to the crowd of people with them cheering loudly.

"Gym Leader in Training?" Serena asked.

"How have you been friends with Ash this long and know nothing of the Pokémon League?" Miette slapped her forehead. "Everyone knows that a Trainee is a person who eventually takes over the Gym. They usually take on trainers with a certain amount of badges or rank so the Gym Leader doesn't have to play down to the competition."

Serena frowned as Miette had a point. The Pokémon League was super important to Ash and Gary. Maybe she should have paid more attention when they were younger. "Does this mean Ash is against inferior competition?"

"Not really," Miette replied. "In order to be a Trainee, one has to be of a Challenger rank I believe. That means either they participated in the Regional League and had a top 16 finish or won many minor competitions and battles. Ash should still be on his toes considering Forrest's battling style might be different from Brock's."

Brock assumed the judge's position. "As rule by the Pokémon League, Forrest will take on Ash due to he's a Rookie Trainer with zero badges. This will be a two-on-two single-elimination match with no time limit. Only the challenger may make substitutions. With that being said, Forrest, please select your first Pokémon!"

Forrest had a big grin on his face while holding out a Pokéball. "I'm honored that my first opponent is you, Ash. Let's make this a battle to remember!" He tossed out the Pokéball. "Rockruff, roll out!"

Appearing on the field was a quadruped, canine Pokémon. It was primarily light brown with a darker brown muzzle, paws, and ear tips. It has large blue eyes, button ears, a short muzzle with a triangular pink nose, and a short tuft of fur on each cheek. Around its neck was a ruff of grayish-white fur stubbed with dark brown pebbles. The dark brown markings on its paws extend to a thin point on each wrist and ankle. It had a grayish-white tail that curls tightly over its back and was covered in fluffy fur.

Serena scanned it with her Pokédex as it was unfamiliar to her. _Rockruff, the Puppy Pokémon. It's considered to be a good Pokémon for beginners because of its friendliness, but its disposition grows rougher as it grows up._

It was so cute wagging its tail and performing some backflips. Serena wanted to pet it so badly! She quickly shook her head of those thoughts as she needed to root for Ash!

Ash checked it with his Pokédex as well before answering his opponent. "I wouldn't have it any other way! Nidoran, I choose you!"

Nidoran appeared, digging its foot into the ground.

Brock did one final check with both trainers before raising both of his arms. "Battle begin!"

Forrest snapped his fingers. "Let's start with Rock Tomb!"

"Run in for a Horn Attack!" Ash commanded.

Rockruff barked and conjured rocks that swirled around it before being launched towards the running Nidoran.

The Poison Pin Pokémon juked left and right until a rock landed in front of it. When it tried running around it, another rock blocked its path. Soon, it was surrounded and one rock slamming on it.

Serena grasped her knees and bit her lips. Not a good start for her best friend.

Nidoran shrugged off the rubble.

"You okay?" Ash asked with it nodding in response. "Then Poison Sting!"

"Iron Defense!" Forrest countered.

Poisonous Needles soared across the field from Nidoran's mouth.

The Puppy Pokémon stood still while encasing its rocky fur in a metallic coating. The Poison Sting bounced off of its body as if they were having little effect.

"Tackle into Bite!" Forrest followed up.

"Focus Energy!" Ash ordered.

Rockruff dashed across the field and used one of the rock formations to springboard itself into the air.

Nidoran watched intently as its opponent closed the distance.

Serena held her breath, wondering why Nidoran wasn't moving a muscle.

"Double Kick!" Ash shouted.

Nidoran pivoted off its front legs and kicked Rockruff against the head as it was about to land.

The Puppy Pokémon sailed across the field and slammed into a rock formation. It managed to stand on its own power, panting.

Serena winced as that gotta hurt. It seemed as though Miette had a similar reaction along with the crowd.

Forrest laughed. "Not bad, Ash. Using the time that Rockruff needed to reach Nidoran to increase the chance of a potential critical hit. Then the timing of the attack was perfect for a beautiful Double Kick. Too bad Rockruff can take a hit."

Ash adjusted his hat. "That Rock Tomb luring me into a close-quarter fight wasn't a bad way to start, but it'll take a whole lot more than rocks filling the field to slow us down!"

"In that case, let's speed up our tempo!" Forrest pointed out towards the field. "Rock Polish into Tackle!"

Rockruff cleared the dirt from its fur and bolted.

"Poison Sting!" Ash shouted.

Nidoran fired a barrage of Poison Sting in the direction of Rockruff.

The Puppy Pokémon tanked the attack and bashed Nidoran upward.

"Bite!" Forrest followed up.

Rockruff managed to bite onto Nidoran's leg and slammed it to the ground.

Serena covered her mouth as a dust cloud enveloped part of the field. Forrest had used a similar strategy that her Nidoran did against the Beedrill. Could Nidoran even continue?

"We're not done yet!" Ash somehow answered her. "Horn Attack into Double Kick!"

The dust settled with Nidoran lunging forward with its horn causing Rockruff to back away. That separation gave Nidoran enough room to kick the Puppy Pokémon twice with its back legs.

Rockruff slid against the rocky terrain and fell to the ground.

Brock raised the red flag. "Rockruff is unable to battle!"

The crowd instantly booed Ash, probably wanting the puppy to win. Serena couldn't blame them and was glad they eventually cheered. Ash was off to a great start.

"Just one more to go," Miette giggled. "Looks like all of our training had paid off."

Serena pouted while looking at Miette. Ash deserved all of the credit along with his Nidoran. "It's not over yet so let's hold off on any celebration."

"Relax," she replied. "Gym Leaders and their Trainee must use certain teams to test their opponents. Considering Ash is in the lead and Forrest is using a rookie-level team, Ash should have this in the bag."

For his sake, Serena hoped that she was right.

Forrest returned his Pokémon with a frown. He looked at his Pokéball with his eyes closed before taking out his second. "You trained your Nidoran well. Not only was its timing perfect but withstood Rockruff's best combination of moves."

"Thanks," Ash laughed. "Rockruff wasn't bad either with its agility and making use of the terrain."

"Let's see if your Nidoran can stand up to the next challenge!" Forrest threw out his next Pokémon. "Rhyhorn, rock on!"

The Spikes Pokémon made an appearance. From what Serena could tell, it was the same one from the restaurant. It dug its foot into the ground.

"Able to continue?" Ash asked his Nidoran.

Nidoran responded by digging its foot into the ground.

"Then I'm sticking with you!"

Brock checked both sides once again. "Battle begin!"

"We're going to make it two-for-two!" Ash declared. "Poison Sting!"

"Rock Blast!" Forrest countered.

Nidoran launched a Poison Sting only to be negated by flying boulders. The Poison Pin Pokémon started to run behind rock formations to avoid being hit.

"Take Down!" Forrest commanded.

Rhyhorn had impressive speed as it bulldozed across the field.

"Double Kick!" Ash shouted.

As Rhyhorn was about to smack Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pokémon jumped in a tight ball into the air.

Forrest smirked. "I thought you might do that." He pointed at Nidoran. "Smack Down into Stomp!"

Rhyhorn stood on its back legs to grab Nidoran by the horn with its mouth and slammed the Poison Pin Pokémon to the ground. Following up, it stomped its foot and didn't lift its leg.

On the scoreboard, an image of Nidoran struggling to move appeared.

Serena closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight but peaked with one to see what Ash was going to do.

"Return!" Ash aimed his Pokéball. The red beam bounced off Rhyhorn several times. He looked to the ground with his hand visibly shaking. "Nidoran had enough!"

Brock raised the green flag. "The challenger has declared his Pokémon unable to battle!"

The crowd appeared to be stun as everyone appeared to be talking amongst themselves. Some had to audacity to boo Ash for his decision with parts of the crowd soon joining in.

Ash returned his Pokémon while lowering his cap.

"This is horrible," Miette stated. "I know that Ash is the son of a legend but people didn't need to be rude about it. I doubt Nidoran was able to continue much further anyways. Why are they acting this way?"

Serena took Eevee off her head and held it tightly in her arms. "Maybe it's because our friend, Gary managed to beat Brock with only his Squirtle. Considering Forrest is a Trainee, they might have been expecting Ash to do the same."

Miette furrowed her brows. "That was with a type-advantage verse Ash having none." She stood up. "Come on Ash! You can do it!"

Not wanting to be out staged, Serena stood up too. "Don't listen to the crowd, Ash! Remember your training!"

Ash didn't react whatsoever. They were being drowned out by the booing. That didn't stop Serena from shouting with all of her might, hoping that her words could reach him.

* * *

**AN: I hoped you enjoyed the first part and Serena's first battle that's not with Ash. Let me know some of your thoughts.**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: What is a Seasoned Coordinator?**

**One who hasn't won a Grand Festival but has experience in Contests.**

**Q: Why is Ash facing off against Forrest instead of Brock?**

**I honestly don't know what I could have done to have made it interesting so I decided Forrest was going to fit well considering in a Japan special for DP, he did become a Gym Leader.**

**Q: Does every Gym Leader have a Trainee?**

**No. Typically you'll see one if there's a story specific reason and most people who are retiring have one or family.**


	7. Pewter City Showdowns Part 2

**Chapter 7: Pewter City Showdowns Part 2**

Ash's heart pounded with his breathes becoming shallow. The roar of the crowd booing caused him to question his decision. Nidoran had the capability to continue and perhaps there was a way out of that sticky situation, but if his Pokémon had gotten hurt, how could he call himself a Trainer?

Pikachu tapped his leg with a frown. "Pika?"

He looked at his little buddy and cracked a weak smile. Of course, he had to continue or else the hard work of his Pokémon would be wasted. Only if he had a way to ignore the crowd.

_Clap. Clap. Clap_.

Ash raised his head to see a video feed of Brock overtaking all of the scoreboards. He was clapping slowly with the crowd quieting down, probably confused about what was going on.

"Forrest, why do you think I'm clapping?" The Gym Leader asked without looking at his brother.

"Because Ash wisely recalled his Pokémon before it had seriously gotten hurt," Forrest answered with his hands beside his hips.

Brock nodded. "Ladies and gentlemen of Pewter City and those watching from home, it's very important for a Trainer to understand their Pokémon's limit. A Trainer's number one responsibility is the safety of their Pokémon, not to entertain people nor to win a battle. No one should ever feel ashamed for ending a battle because of it." He turned to Ash. "He recognized Nidoran could no longer continue and for that he has my respect and he should have yours as well regardless of origin."

The audience slowly clapped and cheered in response.

The anxiety washed away and replaced with determination. He gave a smile and nod to Brock, appreciating the vote of confidence, and how he saw him as an ordinary person instead of fame. He assessed his options and determined the best possible option. "Charmander, I choose you!"

The Lizard Pokémon appeared, flexing its claws and roaring to the crowd.

Forrest folded his arms. "Are you sure you want to use a Charmander?"

Ash nodded and pumped a fist. "We're sure!"

Brock looked at his brother with a frown before resuming his normal judge stance. "Battle begin!"

"Take Down!" Forrest ordered.

"Ember!" Ash commanded.

Rhyhorn ran behind rock formations to inch its way closer to Charmander.

The Lizard Pokémon aimed its tail in shooting shards of flame but it was either blocked by a rock formation or missed. That didn't stop it from drawing it in.

"Smokescreen!" Ash shouted.

"Hit it!" Forrest hollered.

Rhyhorn led with its horn in launching Charmander into the air. It didn't recoil in pain, meaning it had the Rock Head ability.

Charmander released smoke as it was flying, covering the field.

"Listen to the sound of my voice and come back to my side!" Forrest shouted.

"Dragon Breath!" Ash yelled.

The smoke cleared as Charmander blasted Rhyhorn with Dragon Breath from behind and crashing it into a rock formation.

"Clever but it's not over yet," Forrest declared. "Rock Blast and then charge in with Horn Attack!"

"Smash those rocks with Metal Claws!" Ash countered. "Then charge in with Flame Charge!"

Boulders sailed across the field and smashed upon impact with Charmander's claws.

While Charmander was busy, Rhyhorn charged in.

Once the last boulder was smashed into bits, Charmander's body was surrounded in flames as it dashed forward, leaving a trail of black soot behind.

Both Pokémon collided in the field with Charmander slashing at Rhyhorn's face; however, the Spikes Pokémon fought through the pain and launched Charmander into the air.

"Smack Down!" Forrest quickly shouted.

"Dragon Breath!" Ash quickly countered.

Rhyhorn grabbed ahold of Charmander's tail and began to slam it down.

With great concentration, Charmander was able to blast Rhyhorn on the face once again causing the Spikes Pokémon to loosen its hold and softening the blow.

"Take Down!" Forrest followed up.

Rhyhorn shook off the attack and rammed Charmander.

The Lizard Pokémon soared and crashed into a rock formation that crumbled on top of it.

"Charmander!" Ash called out with his eyes widened.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.

The entire stadium was silent as Brock waited for the dust cloud to settle before making any kind of call.

Ash's heart pounded as this couldn't be how his first Gym Battle end, could it? All of his hard work with Serena and Miette would have been wasted. He closed his eyes thinking. Even if Charmander was able to continue, what shape would it be in? Would it even last another hit?

The rubble moved with Charmander standing as the dust settled. "Char. Char." It panted.

The raven-haired boy was happy to see that it was okay but grimaced in its condition. Definitively couldn't take another hit. He tightened his fists, but he also didn't want to call it quits and face the wrath of Gary. What was he going to do?

The Lizard Pokémon turned to face him. "Charmander. Char!" It flexed its muscles.

Ash blinked several times, feeling Charmander's will and determination. "Are you sure you can continue?"

Charmander nodded and huff out some flames. "Charmander!"

Ash closed his eyes, pondering the thought. He knew Charmander wanted to win badly so he might as well try to help it until the very end. "Alright Charmander, I believe in you. Let's show the world what we're made of!"

The Lizard Pokémon returned to facing Rhyhorn with the flame on its tail becoming brighter and a reddish aura surrounding it. It must have activated its Blaze ability. Why did it activate now? No matter what, all Ash needed to know was its fire moves were powered up. He had a chance.

"Ember!"

Forrest frowned. "Rock Blast!"

Rhyhorn conjured boulders that it fired from its mouth.

Charmander arched its back and unleashed a stream of fire.

The stream of fire collided with a boulder, holding it midair until another boulder smashed into the first boulder. With the boulder shattering, the Flamethrower guided the rocks back to rain upon Rhyhorn.

"Way to go," Ash clapped. "You learned Flamethrower all by yourself!"

Forrest blinked and took a step back. "Are you okay?" Rhyhorn shook off the rocks and nodded back to its trainer. "Good because we're ending this now! Charge in with Dragon Rush!"

Mystical blue flames surrounded Rhyhorn as it charged across the field.

Ash's eyes widened. "Smokescreen!"

Charmander covered his side of the field with a thick layer of smoke.

"Flame Charge into Metal Claws!" Ash followed up.

Barely visible in the smoke were a faint blue light and a faint red light. The blue light chased the red light until the sound of a rock formation breaking apart could be heard. The blue light faded with the red light closing in with the sound of metal grinding on rock that could be heard.

The smokescreen slowly faded, revealing Charmander standing on top of Rhyhorn. The Lizard Pokémon spat out a Flamethrower into the air.

"Rhyhorn is unable to battle!" Brock declared. "Forrest is defeat, thus the winner of this match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

The crowd cheered at the result.

Ash relaxed his shoulders and allowed Pikachu to climb onto his shoulder before walking out to the field where Charmander hopped into his chest.

"Charmander!" It happily stated.

Ash petted its back. "You really did it, Charmander! Congratulations on getting your first victory!"

"Pikachu!" The Electric Mouse cheered.

Forrest returned his Pokémon and met Ash in the middle of the field. "That was surely a battle to remember." He extended his hand out. "Lots of things I can learn as I work my way up the ladder. You should be proud of your ability in recognizing when your Pokémon have reached their limit. Many would have had given up and allowed their Pokémon to get hurt."

Ash shook his hand. "Thanks. The way you used your Pokémon's physique was inspiring. I can't wait to review our match and continue to see how you'll use other rock-types for my research."

Forrest laughed while Brock walked over with a box. An octagonal-shaped pin rested in the middle. "I hope I can help with whatever you're researching no matter how small of an impact I end up making. Regardless, as the victor, I hereby present you with the Boulder Badge, proof that you have conquered the Pewter City Gym."

Ash held the badge in his palm before raising it into the air to strike a pose for the cameras. "I get earned myself the Boulder Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu joined in.

"Charmander-Char!" Charmander spat of flames once again.

Ash exited the field while waving to the ground. Within the trainer tunnel, he looked at his phone to see that the League had granted him with a $1000 for his victory and he had earned the rank of Trainer. He also saw a few messages from his friends and family congratulating him on his victory. The one that made him pause was Gary's message.

_Gary: Dumb luck if you ask me. Picking Charmander against a rock-type Gym. What were you thinking?_

_Ash: Considering the rest of my team, Charmander had the best odds._

_Gary: You were better off finding a water-type or grass-type. Though, let's see how you actually face off against a Gym Leader!_

Ash sighed, unsure of what to make of Gary's response. On some level he was right, but he didn't want to fall too behind his rival. He stuffed his phone into his pocket while heading back into the locker room.

Along the way, he encountered a girl wearing a blue top and shorts over leggings. She had brown hair that went down to her shoulder. She clapped as he entered the waiting area.

"Bravo," she said. "That was some impressive battle. I never would have guessed that a fire-type would have been the star at a rock-type gym."

"Thanks," Ash laughed. "It does know a super effective move so I figured it wasn't a terrible match as everyone was probably making it out to be."

The girl nodded. "I'm Verity by the way. Remember me because I'm going to defeat you one way or another."

Ash smirked. "We'll see." The light turned green, indicating it was her turn to head battle. "Good luck."

He exited the tunnel and into the locker room where everyone looked at him awkwardly. He ignored the feeling and headed towards the front desk where Serena and Miette were waiting for him. Both of them had a rose in their hands.

"Congratulations, Ash!" Both of them said while handing the rose to him.

"These are for me?" He took them, dumbfounded by the gesture.

Miette giggled. "Of course, silly. It's customarily for people in Kalos to hand a flower to someone they admire or after an impressive victory."

Serena frowned. "I somehow doubt the second part but I agree with someone you admire."

Ash laughed. "Is that right? What did you two admire about me or my Pokémon out there?"

"I admired your dedication and the love and care you had for your Pokémon," Miette answered. "Seeing you trained kept me on my toes and my skills sharped for my next Contest!"

Serena played with her hair. "I admired how you never gave up on Charmander. Despite its confidence being low because of Damian, you kept working with it. And now, it's really happy to have won!"

"Well I couldn't have done all of that without you two supporting me," Ash remarked with a smile. "Serena with taking detailed notes on each of my Pokémon and Miette with some pointers. I owe my victory to the both of you!"

The trio headed back towards the Pokémon Center where they decided to take pictures of different landmarks along the way. Miette stopped them at an intersection with one of the paths leading to the forest with a mountainous range. Ash was confused by the gesture.

"This is where we'll part ways," Miette sighed.

"Are you sure?" Ash folded his arms. He had grown fond of Miette's presence and curious to learn more about her. "We're heading to Cerulean City too. Why not come with us?"

Serena elbowed Ash to his confusion. "Let her leave if she wants. Besides, she probably has other things to do outside of being your training partner."

Miette smiled at Serena. "I appreciate the invitation, but Serena is my rival regardless of her reasoning to be a Coordinator. I must treat her as one and not reveal too many of my secrets."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Serena folded her arms.

"Whatever you say," Miette winked. "Be ready to face me because I won't hold back!"

Serena glared at her. "You're the one who should be prepared next time! I'm planning on winning the Cerulean City Contest."

"Now you sound more like a Coordinator," Miette replied. Then she handed Ash a card. "Why don't we keep in touch? I hope you'll support me and my dreams as I'll always support you."

Ash took the card with a smile. "Thanks, I'll be sure to check in from time-to-time."

Serena pouted. "Shouldn't you be leaving?"

"If that's what you want!" Miette leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. Then she ran down the street before anyone could react.

Serena covered her mouth as if she had seen a ghost-type. Eevee and Pikachu covered their ears.

Ash rubbed the spot where he had been kissed. A dreadful feeling washed over his body for unknown reasons. It was if something was wrong with the world.

* * *

Brock sat down on a bench in his locker room after a long day of grueling battles. He ended the day with a 13-18 record for the day. His last four battles against other Ace Trainers was the worst as he barely defeated three of their Pokémon each. The thought of him losing the position weighed heavily on his mind.

Without the money, how could he afford to take care of his large family? Even if all of them were able to work a job, they wouldn't be able to pay for nicer items or have a higher education.

His brother sat across from him. After losing his first match as Trainee, he had impressively won 7 in a row. He was rough around the edges but embodied what it meant to be a Gym Leader. Brock couldn't be prouder of him.

Forrest had worked hard in obtaining the right to be a Trainee. Whenever he wasn't babysitting, he would challenge nearby trainers and participated in minor competitions to raise his rank until he was finally recognized by the PLA to be of the Challenger class. Then he passed the written exam and battle examinations with flying colors.

"How long do you think they'll wait until giving you the boot?" Forrest asked.

Brock shrugged. "If we're lucky, maybe they'll wait until the end of the season. Then we gotta hope the next Gym Leader doesn't fire you."

Forrest sighed. "I refuse to believe it's a foregone conclusion. There's still plenty of time for you to turn your record around."

The Gym Leader appreciated his brother's optimism, but give how he felt about battles in recent times, he doubts he will see much improvement. "Enough about our future. Why don't we head home to celebrate your debut? The people of Pewter City really seemed to have enjoyed your battles."

"I have a better idea." Forrest stood up. "Why don't we head over to the Battle Buffet? The chef there challenges customers to battles to see if they pay or get their meal for free. He's of the Challenger class and has helped me a lot for my training."

Brock folded his arms, seeing where his brother was coming from. "So you want me to ask this stranger if he wanted to be a Gym Leader in exchange for a job at his restaurant?"

"If it means keeping my position, I don't see why that's such a bad thing," Forrest pleaded.

Ever since they were kids, Forrest had always been fascinated with battles. Mostly it had to do with their dad being Gym Leader and Brock as a Rock-Type Specialist Trainer and participating in the Pokémon League. To become a Gym Leader was his dream.

Brock rose from his seated position and sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get a feel of his character. No promises of asking him."

Brock followed his brother to the Battle Buffet and headed straight to the battlefield after paying a small fee. As they entered, a battle was just beginning. When Brock looked at the competitors, he was astonished to see Ash Ketchum of all people in the trainer box against the chef who looked familiar to him.

Forrest pointed at the chef. "That's the person I was telling you about. His name is Frank. I suggested to him because he also specializes in rock-types."

Brock held his chin. It couldn't be, could it?

"I suppose congratulations are in order, though it was mighty lucky of your Charmander to learn Flamethrower at that time," Frank remarked.

"That wasn't luck!" Ash retorted. "I trained really hard with my Pokémon and that was the result of our training!"

Off to a bad impression. A Gym Leader needed to find ways to encourage growth from their challengers instead of upsetting them. Let alone a Gym Leader needed to recognize the skills and hard work the challengers put in as well.

"Then let's put that to the test," Frank stated and tossing out his Pokéball. "Onix, steel yourself!" The Rock Snake Pokémon appeared.

Brock raised an eyebrow at the battle cry. He gripped his arms, hoping he was imagining things.

"Charmander, I choose you!" Ash pointed outward.

"He's using Charmander again?" Forrest questioned. "He must be one bold trainer like his father."

No, that wasn't it. Red tended to lead people into a fail sense of security with his chooses and decisions. Based on Ash's reactions in the Gym, Brock could tell he was doing it for Charmander's sake. "Forrest, your one mistake today was writing off that Charmander. Type matchups aren't everything. You should pay close attention."

The judge explained the rules for a one-on-one battle with their wager. "Battle begin!"

"Dragon Breath!" Frank began.

"Flamethrower!" Ash countered.

A stream of fire clashed with mystical blue energy in the middle of the field. While it was an even match at first, Flamethrower eventually overpowered the Dragon Breath to scorch the Rock Snake Pokémon.

"Way to go, Charmander!" Ash praised.

Frank frowned and shook his head. "You still have a lot to learn, boy. Onix, use Rock Throw and then Rock Polish!"

Onix slammed its tail, summoning rocks to bat at the fire-type. Following that, it cleared the dirt off its body.

Charmander avoided the first volley as well as the second.

The Rock Snake Pokémon continued to bat rocks over with its increased speed. The third and fourth volley slammed into Charmander.

The strategy seemed all too family with Brock. He started to furrow his eyebrows.

"Flame Charge and Metal Claws!" Ash commanded.

"Keep up the pressure!" Frank shouted.

Charmander busted into flames, slashing through the rocks, and making its way closer to Onix.

Onix continued to bat rain rocks upon the field. Most of them were slashed into pebbles while some of it missed its target.

"Dragon Breath!" Frank hollered.

"Let's show them our Dragon Breath!" Ash yelled.

Like before, their attacks collided in the middle only this time neither stream moved an inch.

"But how?" Ash had his jaw dropped.

"Raw strength can only get you so far," Frank explained with his arms folded.

Brock gritted his teeth. There was no doubt in his mind who Frank really was.

"Onix, use Slam!" Frank ordered.

"Metal Claws!" Ash waved his arm across his body.

Onix canceled out its Dragon Breath in order to swing its tail.

The fire-type braced itself with its claws having a metallic coating.

The rocky tail hit its mark, sending Charmander on a ride. As it turned out, Metal Claws allowed Charmander to sink its claws into the tail and hold on for dear life.

"What?" Frank was taken aback.

"Smokescreen!" Ash followed up.

"Get it off of you!"

Charmander released a thick layer of smoke while riding the tail that it was eventually flung into the air.

"Above you!" Frank exclaimed. "Dragon Breath!"

"Flamethrower into Metal Claws!" Ash commanded

Both attacks collided in the air with Flamethrower overpowering Onix's Dragon Breath. The flames burned across Onix's face as Charmander descended.

With its position, the Lizard Pokémon managed to scratch the Rock Snake Pokémon several times before landing.

Onix roared and collapsed onto the ground.

"Onix is unable to battle!" The judge declared. "The winner is our customer which means his meal is free of charge!"

Brock took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure and waiting until a more opportune time to speak to _Frank._

Forrest nodded slowly. "Impressive. That Charmander will be a force to be wrecking with whenever it evolves."

Ash rushed out into the field to pick up the Lizard Pokémon. "You did it Charmander! You're the best!"

"Charmander!" It produced a Flamethrower in celebration.

Frank returned his Pokémon and approached the young man. "Young man, that was clever of you to use Metal Claws to hook onto Onix's tail and blinded it to take it down."

Maybe he was tough on his opponents for another reason, Brocks let out a sigh.

"Why thank-"

"However, you're overly reliant on raw power," Frank continued. "My Onix matched your Charmander's Dragon Breath because I trained in precision to be able to cut power. Until you're able to hone your Pokemon's strength, you will nothing be more than a strong breeze to a strong wind."

Brock had seen enough and marched onto the field. "That's just wrong and you know it!"

The chef was taken aback while the entire crowd fell in silence.

"Not going to say anything Franks?" Brock huffed. "Or should I call you dad?"

The crowd whispered to itself.

Forrest ran onto the field. "Wait that can't be right!"

Ash took a few steps back. "You mean, I just faced off against a former Gym Leader and won?!"

Franks sighed, removing his fake beard and chef's hat. Indeed, he was a coward of a father, Flint Harrison. "I didn't know you were watching. I suppose you would never forget one of the lessons I taught you years ago."

"Only you were a lot kinder back then," Brock scolded before turning to Ash. "Special Attacks are just like any muscle that your Pokémon needs to work on. Conditioning its strength to be precise and in control can match any raw power attack."

The young man appeared to be lost in thought over his words.

Then the Gym Leader turned to his father. "However, that alone doesn't determine the strength of a Trainer nor what they can do with their Pokémon with the right guidance. Ash here has demonstrated that twice now with Forrest and you. It took some out of the box thinking and belief in his Pokémon to overcome a type-disadvantage. You have no right to judge him and declaring that he's weak when he's a strong, capable Trainer. As former Gym Leader, you should be ashamed of yourself and more so for the pain, you caused to our family!"

Flint stared at his son and nodded slowly, turning to the crowd of people. "Thank you for your humble generosity, but I would appreciate everyone to clear out. We're closing this battlefield until this family matter is resolved."

Ash returned his Pokémon and met up with a honey-blonde girl. They were about to leave when Flint stopped them.

"Hold up, Ketchum," he began. "Forgive me if some of my words have been harsh. Truth is, you're doing better than most for your skill level. I can tell by how much Charmander has grown and behaves differently when you were last here. Like anyone, you can still improve."

Ash unexpectedly bowed. "Thanks for a great battle. While harsh, that's what I needed to hear to get my act together or else I wouldn't have earned my badge. They also helped me understand the ways of unlocking a Pokémon's full potential. I wish you all the best in sorting this out."

Brock was curious about him. First at the Gym when he mentioned research and now about his presumed topic. When he and his friend left, Lola closed the doors appearing to be sad.

"Mom…" The Gym Leader gasped.

"It's been a long while my boys," she sniffled. "I'm so sorry to have abandoned you at your greatest time of need." She attempted to head in for a hug when Brock held out his hand.

He shook his head. "Don't you think for a second that saying sorry is going to be enough!"

Forrest nodded in agreement. "Both of you have a lot of explaining to do!"

Flint sighed while placing his hands behind his back. "As you know, I went on a journey to get stronger so maybe one day I could reach the top of the World Championship League; however, I discovered that it's a big world out there and lost many times heading towards the top that I eventually missed my role as a Gym Leader and helping people learn and grow."

"I found him on the outskirts of the city when my career in painting went rye too," Lola added. "We wanted to head home, but we didn't know what to do or say. We peaked through the window to see how happy everyone seemed to be without us so we decided to live new lives and open a restaurant."

Brock breathed in deeply, absorbing all of it. "Instead of helping to support our family, you decided on making money on your own selfish desires?"

Flint shook his head. "The goal of the restaurant was never to get rich off of my battling. We hoped that one day you would have brought the family over so we could have at least check up on you. While I did want to keep up my battling skills, I hoped that I could face you once again and give you some guidance in your slump. When I discovered that you stopped that burning flame inside to battle, I wanted to reveal ourselves to you but then Forrest started to come by for some training."

"I can't believe I never realized it before," the Trainee slapped his forehead. "In my defense, the beard threw me off beside mom never serving me food."

Brock closed his eyes, thinking of what his parents had told him. While he was still worked up about them leaving and forcing him to be a single parent to nine different people, he couldn't deny that they still cared about them. Could there be a way for everyone to win?

* * *

Ash reviewed the notes that Serena had taken over the past few days and the advice they had heard on his laptop. He decided it was about time to organize some of his findings with Serena helping wherever she could. They sat in the lounge of the Pokémon Center with Pikachu and Eevee resting on the table.

On the screen was a list of his Pokémon with several categories on the top. Goals made up one category while another one had limitations.

For instance, he had already completed one of Butterfree's goals while working to find another goal. Under limitations, Serena helped to identify that it was not good at close quarters combat nor could take advantage of many physical moves. It most likely wouldn't be able to take many physical hits either given its soft body so using its range moves would be most effective.

The last category pertained to honing a Pokémon's strength. Maybe he was tired but he couldn't figure out how one went about developing non-physical muscles.

"Hmm," Ash scratched his chin. "I think some limitations change pending on evolution considering Caterpie and Metapod hardly know any moves compared to Butterfree."

The honey-blonde nodded. Ever since Miette left, she had been a bit distant until Ash complimented her and everything went back to normal. "I guess you'll have to update the list whenever your Pokémon choose to evolve."

"Yeah…now only I had a clue on developing special moves." He looked upward. "How does one train for precision?"

"Perhaps looking at some more Contests will help!" His best friend winked at him. "Plenty of performances require precise movement and coordination. I bet I can find some basic training videos for us to look at!" She pulled out her phone to look up some videos.

Ash acknowledged that Coordinators did hone in their Pokémon's power for crazy performances. He leaned over Serena's shoulder to see an exercise involving a Frisbee and having a Pokémon with Gust keep it afloat. He typed it down for Pidgeotto and Butterfree to try later on.

A person grabbed their attention by clearing his throat. To their surprise, it was Brock.

"Mind if I have a seat?" He asked.

Serena gestured for him to sit at their booth. "Go right ahead."

Brock sat down with his arms on the table, appeared to be nervous. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything too important."

"Not at all," Ash coyly replied. "This is my best friend, Serena. What brings you by here at this time of night?"

"I came here to see you," he laughed. "I feel like you needed to know a few things about what had transpired at the restaurant."

Serena shook her head. "That's none of our business, but I'm glad you came by. I wanted to thank you for supporting Ash when practically the entire stadium booed Ash."

Brock smirked. "Sometimes people forget that Pokémon are friends first and not tools for profit. Watching from afar is different than actually owning a Pokémon. Regardless of how you might feel, I do need to get a few things off my chest. First of all, my father wanted to apologize once again for his poor behavior."

Ash swatted the air. "It's fine. In a weird way, he was right in his criticism. I haven't really taken my training seriously up until this point in time and he had given me a new lead on my research as well as yourself with understanding a Pokémon's limit!"

"I'm glad you took it in a positive way," he replied. "Many Trainers who faced my father did not have that same experience due to his harshness."

"Why was he so harsh after battles?" Serena asked.

"Pride," Brock said simply. "Many people bashed me and the Gym that put a lot of stress on my mother. When my dad realized what had been happening, he began to grow a bit bitter about people he battled. Regardless if they're a casual Trainer or pro, he didn't hold back until my brother entered the picture."

Ash tilted his head. "How didn't your bother recognize your own father?"

"The beard threw him off aside him not knowing some of the lessons he had taught me. It took some time, but I will never forget the training he had me do when I challenged the Regional League."

Ash remembered watching as a kid and seeing him get top 16 prior to becoming a Trainee to Flint. The father, son duo became a hot topic on the internet for a year prior to Flint's abrupt exit.

"Did the trash talk have something to do with you wanting to be a Pokémon Doctor?" Serena asked.

"Hard to say how that got out of my household, but mainly people began disrespecting me is due to my losing record."

Ash took a sip of his drink. "The PLA could remove and replace him at any moment."

"I would be lying if that didn't plague my mind over the past year," Brock admitted. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was another reason for my decline. Aside from that, I don't believe I'm a fighter at heart anymore. The years taking care of my family have shown me how much I care about helping people and Pokémon alike." He paused. "I wanted to ask you if you would accept me to join you on your journey."

Ash looked at Serena who had an equally confused expression on her face. He understood that he wanted to be a doctor but one needed to head to school for that, not a journey. "Uh…come again?"

The aspiring doctor looked at the table. "I've talked to the League office and we reached an agreement to have my dad retake over the Gym; however, the money he would make along with Forrest and the restaurant won't be enough to get me into a decent school to learn what I need to learn. Most of that money will be put towards ensuring my younger siblings have a future."

"But I still don't understand why travel with us?" Ash scratched his head.

"I meant what I said at the Gym about you having my respect," he continued. "I want to travel with people who won't put their Pokémon in harm's way. That way, I can slowly learn what I need to learn assuming you wouldn't mind having me look at your Pokémon first."

Maybe it was a good thing he didn't know of the Spearow incident, the Team Rocket incident, or what Ash did at the lab.

Serena scratched her cheek. "Hmm, what type of Medical Licenses do you have?"

"Medical Rock-Types Level 5," he replied. "The PLA requires that Gym Leaders undergo medical training for their specific type but I also manage to pass exams for Level 1 for other types. Though, passing a test and actually doing it is completely different."

Serena clapped her hands. "Well, we can help with understanding some of the basics some more as we've performed first aid so many times that I've lost track. We're licensed with Level 1 for all types too."

"So will you be willing to have me as your Pokémon's Doctor once I'm caught up to speed?" Brock turned to Ash.

"Um, I guess it couldn't hurt to have another person with us," Ash laughed. "Especially if one of us manages to befriend a rock-type. Plus, you can give me some valuable tips and feedback."

Brock grinned. "That I can do." He let out a sigh. "I still have some Gym duties I need to take care of tomorrow, but after that I'll be free to travel with you, assuming you can wait."

Serena nodded. "Definitely! It'll also give us some time to progress Ash's research."

"That was something else I wanted to ask," Brock said. "What's the deal with this research?"

Ash explained about their position at Professor Oak's Lab with Serena chiming in wherever she could. He passionately explained his goals and how his research was going to help fulfill his goal. This sparked heavy debate on how one goes about it with Brock and into the night.

* * *

**AN: I hoped you enjoyed the first Gym Battle. Let me know some of your thoughts.**

**Next Time: The Knights of Rota ("There goes that dream...")**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: Why did Ash use Charmander?**

**Given his team, it was the best of his remaining Pokemon. Pikachu wouldn't have had access to electric moves unlike Charmander with fire. It had a super effective physical move compared to Pidgeotto and it didn't have a four times weakness like Butterfree.**


	8. The Knights of Rota

**AN: Updated 3/25/20**

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Knights of Rota**

Brock gazed upon the snowy tops of Mt. Moon as he traveled along a dirt path in the forest with his new friends, Ash and Serena. It had been a wild few days after an awkward press conference where he passed the Gym back to his father. The people of Pewter City didn't know how to feel at first, but they were on board after a heartfelt speech with Forrest still being Flint's Trainee.

Traveling on the road again had been an interesting time for former Gym Leader. He prior traveled all by himself but with Ash and Serena it felt like he was traveling with a couple of his siblings.

While it was awkward for them to have a third party, they warmed up to him after trying one of his famous stews. Similar to the Pokémon when using his father's recipes. What fascinated him the most was Pikachu's obsession with ketchup. In his downtime, he would look up if it was a Pikachu specific thing or if electric types enjoyed the savory flavor.

As he had promised, he gave Ash some tips when it came to training. One regiment involved Charmander using Flamethrower through a hula hoop without burning the rim. Another tip involved his Pokémon launching attacks through a smokescreen to hit a target. Though it didn't stop Ash from coming up with his own ideas involving a Frisbee and his flying types.

He should have figured that Serena was a Coordinator with her sense of fashion. She had been working on her routines and battled against Ash to work on the battling style. Brock did provide feedback when he could like Ledyba's Silver Wind could propel Swift back into the air and how her Nidoran and Eevee could use their acrobatic skills for Contest Battles.

As they promised, they allowed the aspiring doctor to check on their Pokémon after intense training or battles. They were helpful in answering any questions he had and always doubled checked his work. So far, he hadn't done anything horrible so he felt more confident in his abilities.

The sun shined brightly with a light breeze that rustled the leaves. Not a Pokémon in sight but that didn't stop Pikachu and Eevee from heading up the road, sniffing the air and listening to the forest.

"So Brock, what can you tell us about Mt. Moon?" Ash asked.

The former Gym Leader reminisced about coming to the mountain when he was younger. "Where to begin? Most famously, Mt. Moon has been known for the discovery of major fossils. I tried looking for one when I was a kid to no avail. Then there's been a rumor as long as I can remember about a clan made of Cleffa, Clefairy, and Cleffable living inside."

"I hope we get to see them!" Serena beamed while skipping along the path. "They're just so adorable!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble," Brock sighed. "It's only just a rumor. Many people have tried looking for them including myself at one point. No one has found their home to this date."

The honey-blonde hung her head low. "There goes that dream…"

"Just because others have failed, doesn't mean we won't see one of them today!" Ash extended his arm upward.

The aspiring Pokémon Master suddenly held onto his stomach and head. His eyes widened began taking in shallow breathes. Without warning, he fell onto the ground before anyone could react.

"Ash!" Serena yelped, rushing by his side and shaking his body. "Are you okay? Say something!"

Brock immediately rolled him onto his back, feeling his pulse from his wrist. Needless to say, it was fast. He placed a hand onto his forehead and it was burning up. Did Ash catch the flu? No, he was just fine a moment ago. What was going on?

He unzipped his jacket and took off the Trainer's backpack while carrying him in his arms. "We need some shade and cool him off right now!"

Serena didn't argue while taking his backpack. They rushed off into the woods where they found a tree with shading big enough to lay Ash onto the grassy ground.

Brock decided to unroll his sleeping back to act as a cushion while he reassessed the situation. The Pallet Town native was still burning as he muttered a few words that were incomprehensible. Taking out his water bottle, he placed it against his head in hopes he will cool down.

Pikachu was by Ash's side with its ears down. Eevee tried its best to cheer it up by rubbing its body against it. Still, the Mouse Pokémon just looked at Ash.

Serena pulled on her hair, looking as if she wanted to help, but didn't know what she could do other than hand over her water bottle to help with the cooling.

None of Ash's symptoms made any sense to Brock as he tried to think of what could have caused him to faint. "Has this ever happened to Ash before?"

His friend shook her head. "I mean he's been sick before, but he had never passed out. Not especially when he was fine moments before. Is he going to be okay?"

"I'm not sure," Brock admitted. "We all had the same food and been to the same places. Could he be the only one affected by whatever is troubling him or could be we next?"

Serena touched her forehead for any potential fever. "If we're next, then we wouldn't be able to protect ourselves if a Gengar comes to take our souls!" As soon as those words left her mouth, she covered it. "Did I say that?"

"Get a hold of yourself!" Brock scolded her. "This is no time for scary stories. Ash needs to get to a doctor and fast!" He took out his phone to look at a map of the area. "It's like I thought, the nearest town is several miles away and he's in no condition to move."

"What about a Pokémon Center or a river?" Serena asked.

Brock sighed. "There's one on the opposite side of the mountain and the closest river is also several miles away."

Serena frowned with a few tears in her eyes. She must have cared for him a lot. "This can't be how it ends right?"

"I'll do what I can for him," Brock assured her. "Let's see if his conditions improve after an hour and maybe we can see about moving him to the closest town."

_BOOM! BOOM!_

Turning towards the explosion, Brock and Serena could see dust clouds appearing above the treetops. Even worst, it was getting closer to them. Different kinds of flying-types could be seen flying away.

Brock stood up with a couple of Pokéballs in hand. He never expected to be pinned in this kind of position. Not only was one of their party members down, but he was unable to defend himself. Let alone if a strong enough opponent came out, Serena wouldn't be able to provide proper support.

He pressed a finger to his lips at the honey-blonde. The best possible scenario was for them to remain quiet and hope the Pokémon causing problems.

Serena hovered around Ash as if her life depended on his survival.

Pikachu and Eevee got themselves in a position to face whatever might come out of the bushes.

Rushing out of a bush was a Cleffa. It tripped on a twig, looking up at Pikachu and Eevee and slowly backed away.

"Don't be scared," Serena whispered. "We're not going to hurt you." She held out her arms as if she was going to provide a hug and inched her way closer to the frightened Pokémon.

Brock scratched his head as the explosions stopped. Cleffa couldn't have caused that amount of noise by itself. Even if it used Metronome, the odds of it causing mass destruction was low. Still, he was amazed that Ash's prediction came true.

Pikachu's and Eevee's ears twitched as an Aura Sphere blasted out of the woods.

"Look out!" Brock warned.

Serena dove towards Cleffa and rolled away from the attack, but it headed straight towards Ash.

Pikachu used Thunder Shock while Eevee used Swift in an attempt to stop the attack. When it continued forward, Pikachu swung its tail to use Iron Tail to knock it out of the way of hitting Ash.

Brock could breathe again, turning back to the bushes where a Lucario wobbly walked into the clearing. Its eyes were narrowed, forming at the teeth, and sloughing. Interestingly enough, it had an armband with a particular kind of gem. There was no doubt in his mind what was happening.

"Golem and Steelix, help us out!" He tossed out his Pokémon.

A boulder-shaped Pokémon flexed its arms while the Iron Snake Pokémon stared down its target.

Lucario brought its arms together before revealing a bone-shaped staff and lunged forward.

"Steelix, Dig! Golem, Rollout!"

Steelix burrowed into the ground while Golem rolled up into a tight spinning ball.

Serena crawled on her back away from the action while looking at Pikachu and Eevee. "Eevee use Quick Attack! Pikachu, please use Thunder Shock!"

Lucario whacked Golem to a halt amazingly. Then it turned its attention on Eevee.

Serena stood up to catch Eevee with the force carrying her to the ground.

"Fire Punch!" Brock ordered.

Golem uncurled with fire consuming its stubby arms. It swung twice with both attacks being blocked by the Bone Rush. The third attempt landed a hit against Lucario's midsection.

Ash jerked upward, holding his stomach.

Lucario raised its staff in the air, twirling it before whacking Golem against the head. The force caused the Megaton Pokémon to roll back towards Ash.

Brock immediately recalled his Pokémon in disbelief that a Lucario could be as powerful to move a Golem. Maybe he would have to call upon his secret weapon.

The ground shook violently again, only this time Steelix popped out of the ground, sending Lucario flying.

Pikachu finally took aim with its electrical attack, zapping the Lucario but it did not appear to have done much.

Ash's body started to flail like he was a fish out of the water. What was going on?

"Wrap it around with your tail!" Brock ordered.

The Iron Snake Pokémon floated into the air and used its body to trap Lucario from moving. Pikachu continued to zap as Steelix ascended to the ground.

Now Ash's body looked constricted and acting as if he was being zapped.

Brock quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a Full Heal. Whatever was going on, he was sure it was due to Lucario. "Pikachu, stop!"

Ash's body stopped shaking.

The former Gym Leader rushed up to his Pokémon who appeared to be struggling to maintain its hold on Lucario. It appeared to be concentrating when Brock sprayed the bottle against its face. One whiff of it and Lucario collapsed in Steelix's tail.

Steelix recoiled, allowing Brock to gently place Lucario onto the ground. With his quick observation, he could see bruises and scratches all over its body.

Serena crawled over by Ash to check on his injuries. As Brock suspected, his troubles seemed to be a tie to the Lucario, but why?

"Why was that Lucario attacking us?" She asked with a hand over her heart.

"It was confused for one reason or another," Brock remarked. "Definitely well trained."

"What do you think happened to its Trainer?"

Brock shrugged while assessing the situation. They were in no condition to find any help now. All they could do was hope that its Trainer was okay. "Let's solve one problem at a time. Look after Ash and leave the injured Pokémon to me."

The aspiring doctor never would have guessed he would have been tested this soon after departing his home, but for the sake of Serena's sanity, he needed to stay strong. He examined Golem first and saw that it had a crack on its rocky shell. He massaged the area before applying some potions and a bandage. His Pokémon endured the pain, but it was in no condition to battle until that crack healed itself.

Eevee's fur was roughed up with a giant bruise on its body. The Evolution Pokémon squirmed in pain as Brock tried to think of the best possible treatment. He cleaned the fur of the dirt but it only made Eevee move more until it bit into his arm. Enduring the pain, he continued to clean before applying a potion and one of the water bottles to calm down the swelling.

"Vee…" Eevee had its ears down.

Brock wrapped his arm in bandages before petting its head. "Don't worry about it. Rest up."

Lastly, he took a look at Lucario. It terrified him that such a powerful Pokémon managed to get confused. Whatever or whoever it fought must be as strong. That was a problem for another time. He cleaned up its fur to the best of its ability, careful of the sharpness of its fur. For the scratches, he applied a potion while the midsection he had to be creative considering Golem's fire punch scorched it.

He consulted a book and some online materials and found that mushing of Rawst Berries would do the trick. Luckily, he had stocked up on different types of berries in case of an emergency. Good as time as any.

* * *

Serena held Cleffa, tightly in her arms. The poor Pokémon must have been through a lot to be far away from home. It often gazed upon Mt. Moon with a sad face. All the honey-blonde could do was pet it gently and rocking it side-to-side.

Her best friend laid in front of her. His fever broke and seemed to be resting peacefully. What a scare he gave her, but nothing about the situation seemed right to her. His symptoms were not consistent with any known medical illness. His movements during the battle with Lucario was unnatural.

She found out the Lucario was known as the Aura Pokémon and that it could manipulate the energy around it to understand human emotions and thoughts. Was Lucario the cause of Ash's sudden illness? It was all too confusing.

"Cleffa…" The little Pokémon held onto Serena's core.

"Don't worry, little one," Serena lifted it to see her face. "We'll help you find your friends and family again. We just need to wait for my friend to wake up and we'll head towards Mt. Moon!"

Cleffa wagged its stubby arms up and down. "Cleffa!"

_Thanks for helping my friend_! The honey-blonde heard a feminine voice.

Serena stood up, looking around the tree to see if anyone was there. No one was in sight. When she got back around Ash, she bummed into Brock and yelped.

"Easy there," he said. "It's just me. What were you doing around the tree?"

"I thought I heard a voice," she exclaimed. "But no one was there."

Brock scratched his head. "I didn't hear a voice. Did you?" He looked at Pikachu.

The Electric Mouse had been patrolling the area ever since Lucario's defeat. "Pika?" It sniffed the air, twitched its ears, and shook its head. "Pika…"

Strange. Her mind must have playing tricks on her or something.

"Anyways," Brock changed the subject. "I finished my inspection of the Pokémon if you wanted to check."

Serena shook her head. "I don't have the right mindset to play doctor. I'm sure whatever you did was fine enough despite you could have handled Eevee a little differently."

"Sorry about that, I just didn't want to bother you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "All we need is for them to rest and hopefully we can solve our other problems without any issues."

"Cleffa!" It cheered.

Serena giggled before frowning. "Thanks, Brock. I'm not sure what I would have done without you here."

"I'm sure you would have thought of something, especially when it comes to Ash's wellbeing."

Tears foamed around her eyes. "You're probably right. If I was the one in his position, he would probably do everything in his power to get me the help I needed. Even if every fiber in my body wanted to quit, I wouldn't until he's all better."

"You must care for him a lot," Brock chuckled.

Serena's cheeks burned while looking off to the side. "I mean, we have been friends for a long time. It's hard imagining my life without him."

Brock nodded slowly. "Must be nice having a friend like that." He stared off to Mt. Moon. "Why don't you tell how you two met?"

The honey-blonde wiped away the tears and told of her first summer camp in Pallet Town.

* * *

Ash's eyes snapped open. The last thing he remembered was heading towards Mt. Moon with his friends in the forest. Though he appeared to be in some sort of cave lined with man-made lights. Walking beside him was a Pokémon with greenish hair and appeared to be in a white dress. No doubt in his mind that it was a Gardevoir but why was one with him and where was he for that matter?

Looking at his hands, they weren't human hands but instead paws with one of them having an armband with a Mega-Stone on it. His chest had a spike and he stood high on his back paws. Did he turn into a Pokémon? He had read stories about it happening but never thought it could have happened to him. Did this mean he could be caught and be forced to battle other Pokémon? How could this have happened?

As he continued to walk further down the cave, several people showed up with familiar-looking 'R's on their chests appeared. Flying down was a series of Golbats that emitted a rainbow color of lights. His vision started to turn red and blurred; his mind couldn't contain a single thought; it was if his entire body was on fire.

He tossed and turned until his real body jerked upward. He breathed rapidly with his forehead full of sweat. A cool breeze of night washed over him as he looked around to see Serena and Brock by his side with worried faces.

"Thank, Arceus that you're okay," Serena sighed. "I was worried something was happening once again with your tossing and turning."

"Yeah," Brock added. "You gave us quite the scare."

Ash rubbed his head as Pikachu hopped onto his lap. "Uh…what happened?"

The former Gym Leader held his chin. "You mean, you don't remember getting sick?"

He shook his head. "Should I?"

"I must apologize if I made you ill," said an unfamiliar voice.

Ash turned around to see a Lucario, struggling to get onto its feet. Brock supported it but advised it to take it easy.

"Tell your friend that I appreciate the help, but I must get going," Lucario said.

"Y-You talked!" Ash exclaimed.

Serena placed a hand on his forehead. "Are we sure you're still not sick? Lucario isn't talking. At least not in human speech."

"But it did just talk in human speech!" Ash pointed at it. "It wanted to let Brock know its gratitude and it needed to leave."

"To find its Trainer?" Brock asked. "We can help you as soon as Ash and you regain your strength."

Lucario's eyes peered at Ash. "There's no time. Mt. Moon has been seized by the enemy."

An image of the 'R' appeared in Ash's mind that made him remember his nightmarish dream. He blinked several times while standing up, perching Pikachu onto his shoulder. "You mean Team Rocket has captured Mt. Moon?"

"Not them again!" Serena stood up with an equally disgusted look with a Cleffa in her arms.

"What could they be doing way out here?" Brock asked.

The appendages around its ears perked upward for a moment before coming back down. "I'm afraid my trainer was captured by them and being held prisoner somewhere inside. At least, that's what I hoped happened. I must make haste before anything bad happens to him."

Ash tightened his fists. "Let us help you too!"

"Wait a minute," Brock objected. "We can't take on Team Rocket by ourselves. We might be better off calling the police, a Ranger, or Guardian and waiting for someone to arrive."

"A Guardian is already inside," Lucario stated.

Ash nodded. "There's a Guardian inside. I say, we save them first and that'll up our chances."

Brock grimaced and pondered the thought. "Alright, but let's not do anything too reckless."

Ash turned to Serena. "You in?"

"Like you even have to ask?" She replied.

"Cleffa!" The little Pokémon yelped.

Pikachu gave Ash a nod. "Pikachu!"

The trio gathered their belongings and rushed off to Mt. Moon.

Ash followed Lucario up until the cave entrance. Serena was close behind him with Eevee around her neck and Cleffa in her arms. Brock had a Pokéball on hand at all times.

The appendages on Lucario rose with its eyes closed, most likely sensing the aura around them. It was some time before it opened them. The appendages lowered and it looked towards the ground. Ash could feel conflicted feelings.

"Lucario, is something wrong?" Ash asked. "Is your trainer not inside?"

The Aura Pokémon crossed its arms, appearing to have an internal debate with itself. "He's there alright. The issue is I wasn't alone in getting confused. We might have to go up against a friend of mine."

"You mean, Gardevoir?"

It nodded. "If we come across her, let's not try to hurt her too badly."

"We'll try our best," Ash promised while translating his conversation with his friends.

Entering the cave, they immediately saw the man-made lights hung on the walls. Perhaps it provided illumination for them not to get ambushed as easily, but Ash couldn't fathom what the Pokémon inside must be feeling. Water dripping echoed in the chambers.

The group decided to let Lucario lead the way and reassess at every corner. The Aura Pokémon kept looking Ash in an odd way. It was if he expected Ash to be someone else.

Eventually, they entered a large cavern with four branching pathways. Zubats laid on the ground, appeared to be knocked out and injured.

Brock wasted no time in heading out to check on them. Ash and Serena were about to do the same when Lucario tackled the former Gym Leader to the ground. Flying out of the leftmost path was a Shadow Ball, crashing into a wall. Shards of rocks scattered back in the chamber with the ground shaking.

Wobbling into the cave was Gardevoir with its eyes narrowed and sloughing. It too had an armband. Another Shadow Ball appeared in its arms as it launched it towards Lucario.

The Aura Pokémon sliced the attack into two with both halves circling around to the wall once again. Rocks started to fall from above.

"Gardevoir, it's me!" Lucario cried out.

The Embrace Pokémon foamed another Shadow Ball.

Lucario disappeared in a blink of an eye and reappeared behind its friend.

Gardevoir's eyes were imbued in blue as it effortlessly tossed Lucario into a wall with a Shadow Ball making a direct hit.

Ash winced at Lucario's pain and realized what he needed to do against a Psychic/Fairy type. "Butterfree, I choose you!"

"Ledyba, come one out!" Serena called out.

Gardevoir shifted its attention towards the bug-types and began to shine brightly in a rainbow of colors. Beams of light rained down in the cavern.

Brock gathered the Zubats underneath his body and acted as a human shield to protect the Pokémon from further harm.

"Protect!" Serena commanded.

A green bubble-like shield surrounded Butterfree with Ledyba. The shield absorbed some of the attacks but it was quickly overwhelmed, shattering into tiny green fragments.

Both Pokémon flew around to avoid the remainder of the attack.

Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Eevee took cover behind some stalagmites.

"Butterfree, use Gust! Pikachu, use Quick Attack into an Iron Tail!"

The Butterfly Pokémon generated a gust of wind with Pikachu riding it to boost its speed. At max speed, Pikachu was able to hit Gardevoir with a super-effective move.

Despite all of that power, the Embrace Pokémon held its ground and psychically lifted Pikachu into the air, spinning the Mouse Pokémon around in the process.

Serena waved an arm across her body. "Mach Punch and help Pikachu out!"

Eevee clapped its paws. Did it use Helping Hands?

The Five Star Pokémon zipped through the cavern, punching Gardevoir in the face, and ending Pikachu's spinning nightmare.

"Butterfree, use Confusion to get Pikachu away from harm!" Ash shouted.

The Butterfly Pokémon lifted Pikachu back to Ash's arms.

Gardevoir was about to launch another Shadow Ball when Lucario pushed it into the middle of the chamber.

"Now, Ash!" Lucario called out.

"Sleep Powder!" Ash commanded.

Butterfree flew towards Gardevoir, releasing a light blue powder. One whiff and Gardevoir slowly closed its eyes, falling to the ground. Before it reached the ground, Lucario caught it.

The Aura Pokémon appeared to be less stressed out and grateful for Ash's help.

"Great work, Butterfree!" Ash complimented while rushing over to check on Brock. In response, his Pokémon performed a victory dance.

Brock rolled over to the side, curled up in a ball. Ash couldn't imagine the pain he was in. Gardevoir wasn't holding back at all in that last fight as far as he could tell.

"Hang in there," Ash said.

A bright blue light illuminated the cavern as Lucario performed some sort of ritual to get Gardevoir back onto its feet. The Embrace Pokémon pushed the Aura Pokémon as if it could have gotten back up on its own power. Then it faced Ash and Serena with a Shadow Ball ready.

""Gardevoir. Voir. Gard!" It shouted.

Lucario got in front of it. "Easy, they're not the enemy. These people helped me so I could help you."

Gardevoir lowered its stance. "Voir. Gard?"

"They're in the mountain, somewhere," Lucario answered before turning to the young adults. "Give me a moment to heal the human that healed me."

Ash and Serena gave Lucario some room.

The Aura Pokémon kneeled beside the aspiring doctor and placed its paws against his back. Just like with Gardevoir, a blue light surrounded it and Brock. When the light faded, Brock rose, rubbing his back.

"Thanks, Lucario," he said. "I'm not sure what you did but my pain is gone."

Lucario shook its head. "I have repaid my debt." Ash translated the message.

It worked alongside Brock in healing the Zubat back to health. By the time they were finished, Lucario was panting.

"Gardevoir," the Embrace Pokémon stated.

Lucario closed its eyes. "I'll be fine." The appendages begin lifting into the air once again.

Ash frowned as he could tell Lucario was lying. It needed to rest soon.

"It appears that our Trainers are down that way," the Aura Pokémon pointed towards the second path from the left. "However, I believe Team Rocket is down that way." It pointed towards the far-right path.

"Cleffa!" The pink-skinned Pokémon wailed. "Cleffa!" It pointed in the same direction.

Lucario growled. "Looks like Cleffa's friends are down that way."

"Zubat!" One of the Zubats grabbed the Aura Pokémon's attention. "Zubat! Zubat!"

"I see…" It folded its arms. "It appears that Team Rocket captured most of the Golbats in the area and that some of them retreated."

Ash informed Brock and Serena of the situation. "I don't get why some of them would retreat."

"There could a number of reasons," Brock remarked. "They could have gotten what they wanted or calling reinforcements to move the Cleffa line out of here. I say we get the Guardian to improve our odds."

Serena frowned, looking at Cleffa before shifting her expression to one of determination. "I vote to head straight to the Cleffa line and aid them until the Guardian gets there."

Both turned to Ash for the tie-breaker. Definitely a bind. He wanted to help the Cleffa line out, but he recalled their last run-in with Team Rocket. The fact there were more of them now spelled trouble, but if they do nothing they could be too late. How could they possible get out of this?

"Ash," Lucario spoke. "Distract Team Rocket until Gardevoir and I rescue our Trainers."

"A-are you sure?" Ash asked.

Lucario nodded. "We won't be long, but we cannot allow those villains to escape either. It's the only logical solution. Don't do anything too crazy."

Ash smirked. "Alright, let's do this!"

Ash and his friends traveled down the tunnel, leading to Cleffa's group of friends. All they had to do was follow the trail of man-made lights and a few pointers from Cleffa. The group moved at a brisk pace but slowed down at every turn. Neither of them liked how the cave was quiet. They would have thought to have run into one of the grunts by now.

Eventually, they found themselves entering a cavern with a large circular hole in the ceiling that had an amazing view of the moon. In the center of the room was a large, silver, sparkling circle-shaped stone like a table. On top of the stone was a group of pink-colored Pokémon within a net.

"But if the Cleffa line is there…" Brock trailed off.

"Where's Team Rocket?" Ash finished.

As if on cue, the trio heard laughter as Jessie, James and Meowth descended from the hole.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the world of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare for a fight!"

"Meowth that's right!"

As soon as they finished their motto, other members of Team Rocket descended from the hole, wearing gas masks. Following them was a swarm of Golbats. Other members released Muk, filling the cavern with a sewer-like smell.

Ash covered his nose at the horrible smell along with Brock. It seemed as if Serena wanted to hurl. Butterfree did its best to propel the smell back, but it was of no use.

"You two again…and a Gym Leader," James remarked.

"Haven't you heard, Jimmy? Brock is now the former Gym Leader!" Meowth corrected.

Jessie shook her head. "This is a terrible habit little ones. Don't you kids know how dangerous Team Rocket is after our last encounter?"

"You didn't look super threatening after Giovanni blast you three to the stars!" Serena fired right back.

Meowth snickered. "I suppose you need a refresher on Team Rocket 101!"

"It doesn't matter how dangerous you all are!" Ash clenched his fists. "We won't stop until we defeat all of you!"

"And I won't stand by while you endanger all of the Pokémon here!" Brock added.

"Humph, suit yourself," Jessie laughed. "Squad A, do your thing!"

The grunts that control the Golbats all shouted in unison. "Confuse Ray!"

"Ledyba, use Safeguard!" Serena commanded.

The Golbats' eyes emitted a rainbow wave of light.

The Five Star Pokémon was quick in setting up a veil to nullify the effects of Confuse Ray.

"Steelix, use Stone Edge!" Brock tossed out his Pokéball.

Ash tossed out his remaining Pokémon. "Pidgeotto and Butterfree, use Gust! Charmander, Flamethrower! Nidoran, Poison Sting! And Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!"

"Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Serena tossed out. "Ledyba, Silver Wind!"

Eevee looked like it wanted to help so it clapped its paws, sending energy to one of the Pokémon.

The flying-types enhanced Charmander's Flamethrower by having it spread out over a wide range at the Muk.

Pikachu climbed onto Steelix, firing its electrical attacks at the Golbats in tandem with stones flying towards them.

The Nidoran pitched in by forcing the Golbat to move in unfavorable locations.

"Counterattack, Squad B!" James ordered.

The grunts shouted in unison. "Sludge Bomb!"

"Ledyba use Protect!" Serena countered.

The Muk shook off the flames and opened their mouths high as an assortment of purple acid ooze rain down upon their targets.

Ledyba put up a protective shield and similarly to before, it started to crack.

"Sandstorm and Gryo Ball!" Brock ordered.

Steelix called forth a heavy sandstorm while parts of its body started to rotate in circles, pulling in the sand as a protective barrier against the Sludge Bomb.

"Squad A, don't let up!" Jessie yelled.

"Golbat, use Air Cutter!" Squad A shouted.

"Turn up the heat!" James commanded.

"Muk, Flamethrower!" Squad B hollered.

Flying out of the sand was pressurized air disks that bounced off Steelix's body but caused every other Pokémon to move around to avoid getting hit. They were dodging blinding with each one ended up getting up. The entire cavern began warming up like an oven.

The sandstorm died down as the Muk continued their attack. Steelix stopped its attacks and got blasted by the flames and crashing onto the ground.

"Steelix!" Brock cried out in concern. The heat from the sand must have done its damage on Iron Snake Pokémon. The former Gym Leader returned his fallen Pokémon, grasping at the ball.

Pikachu struggled to stand while the rest of the Pokémon didn't move. Ash and Serena returned their Pokémon as well.

"Pika…" Pikachu panted while sparking its cheeks.

Meowth laughed. "Look around you pipsqueak, you're all alone and can't possibly defeat all of us!"

James flicked his hair. "You should have surrendered or at least put up a decent fight."

Ash stood by Pikachu. "As long as we have some fight in us, we're never giving up!"

"Pika!" The Mouse Pokémon's cheeks flared, ready to take on the army.

"Stubborn, eh?" Meowth shook its head. "Then fine, we're no longer playing nice! Attack Formation Delta!"

"Air Cutter!" Squad A yelled.

"Flamethrower!" Squad B shouted.

Ash froze, unsure what he could do to overcome such a combination attack. Pikachu alone couldn't overcome their combined might and if it didn't attempt to soften the blow for his friends, they all could get seriously hurt. Still, he had to try something.

"Thunder Shock!"

Pikachu stood on its back legs while launching a Thunder Shock into the flames that were surrounded by air disks. The electrical attack was consumed with the flames getting closer to the trio of friends.

Ash closed his eyes when a gust of wind brushed by him, knocking off his hat. When he opened them, an Arcanine stood in the away of the flames, absorbing the heat into its body while using Protect to defend against the Air Cutter.

Jessie and James looked at one another, shaking their heads before paying attention to what was going on.

"What's an Arcanine doing here?" Jessie stomped her foot.

That was the million-dollar question. For some reason, Ash felt a familiar presence and a lot of happiness despite the situation was dire. Could this Pokémon belong to the Pokémon Guardian? If so, where were Lucario and Gardevoir?"

Arcanine turned its head towards Ash with a smile. Then it turned towards Team Rocket, growling. "Arcanine. Arc. Can. Arcanine!"

"It's saying we're going to pay for harming its friends," Meowth translated. "Oh please, just because you're stronger than those twerps' Pokémon, it doesn't mean you can take us all out!"

James scoffed. "That's right, Meowth. Squad B, why don't we teach it a lesson?"

"Mud Bomb!" Squad B commanded.

The Muk opened wide and unleashed a bombardment of concentrated mud balls.

The Legendary Pokémon stood there as if it was waiting for a command.

Ash couldn't stand by and watch it get hurt. "Dodge it all!"

Arcanine lowered its body, ready to pounce but then it stood up.

Appearing in front of it was Gardevoir, using its psychic powers to stop the Mud Bomb in the air.

Behind the group, Lucario rapid-fired Aura Spheres at the Golbat.

Rushing into the room was a man in a blue blazer and blue fedora-like hat. He had dark blue hair and blue eyes. A woman was also with him in a white blazer with green highlights. She had blonde, wavy hair that was tied in a ponytail and had a fedora on.

"Looks like we made it just in time," said the man.

"Thank Arceus," said the woman. "Now, you all will pay for what you have done to us and the Pokémon in this territory!"

James readied a Pokéball of his. "And who are you two supposed to be?"

The man tipped his hat. "I'm Riley, Knight of the Rota Kingdom."

"And I'm Ilene, also Knight of the Rota Kingdom."

Knights of the Rota Kingdom? Wasn't one of them supposed to be a Pokémon Guardian?

Jessie placed her hands on her hips. "How fancy. Too bad there aren't princes and princesses to save here. Now buzz off."

Jessie placed her hands on her hips. "How fancy. Too bad there aren't princes and princesses to save here. Now buzz off."

Riley chuckled. "Our duties extend beyond those old fashion traditions. Last warning, surrender peacefully or else things get messy."

"Let's see, we outnumber you lot by a large margin," James laughed. "I don't see why you're in any position to make demands."

Ilene smiled, she had been waiting all day to take care of these people. "Don't say we didn't warn you. Gardevoir, Mega-Evolve!"

"Lucario, Mega-Evolve!"

Both trainers touched a gem on their bracelets. Beams of light reached out to their respective Pokémon. The Pokémon embraced the warm light that changed their appearances. Lucario's cream fur became longer, and its thighs slim down. It developed more spikes on the back of its paws, which have turned crimson. It also develops spikes on both of its feet, which have become crimson too. Its previously red eyes are now orange-colored. Its aura-sensing appendages grew longer, and two of them are tipped in crimson. Its shoulders also possessed a spike each.

Gardevoir's appearance also changed. Its body turned almost completely white; only its hair remains green. Its gown becomes longer and wider, resembling a bridal gown. The forearms were slightly thicker with a pointed extension above the elbow. Its facial spikes were larger and now curl upwards. In contrast, its hair was now shorter and more tightly curled. There were now two horns in the center of its chest, extending to either side.

Ash was amazed by the transformation. Sure, he had seen it on TV but never in person. Excitement washed over him as the light faded.

Jessie frowned. "Squad A, what are you waiting for? Attack!"

"Squad B, keep up the pressure!" James shouted.

The grunts of Squad A didn't know what to do so they called random attacks. Squad B ordered the Muk to burn them down to the ground.

"Lucario use Extreme Speed and Bone Rush!" Riley shouted.

"Gardevoir use Psychic!" Ilene hollered.

The Aura Pokémon disappeared to the naked eye and reappeared bashing the Muk with Bone Rush.

Gardevoir stopped all projectiles in the air, sending them right back and held the Golbats in place.

Arcanine ran to the trapped Pokemon, crunching the net to free them.

James tossed out a Pokémon. "Weezing, Smokescreen!"

A purple Pokémon consisting of two spherical heads connected by a thin tube with another sphere in the center appeared. Through its many holes, it released a thick layer of smoke that filled the entire cavern. Everyone without a gas mask started to cough.

Riley formed a blue force field around the trio of friends with him and Ilene inside. Amazingly, the force field filtered out the smoke.

Ash wondered how that was possible, but he was more concerned about Team Rocket. "What about Team Rocket?"

"Leave that to Lucario," Riley chuckled.

"Don't forget about Gardevoir," Illene added.

They heard people grunting in pain and falling over with the Cleffa line chanting. Soon gusts of wind picked up, carrying the smoke out of the cavern, revealing the grunts on the ground with a pile of Pokéballs. Lucario and Gardevoir reverted back to their original forms.

"We're blasting off again!" The Team Rocket trio yelped into the night.

Ash gritted his teeth as those three managed to get away again. Though it was not a total failure. His friend and him managed to keep them here long enough for Riley and Ilene to save the day.

Cleffa broke free of Serena's arms and joined in with the rest of the Star-Shaped Pokémon in a happy dance. They formed a circle around the stone in the middle, hopping and twirling in sync with one another.

Serena filmed the dance. "I can't believe we're seeing their famous Moon Dance!"

Ash and Brock looked at one another with a smile. They couldn't be happier that Cleffa found its friends and family once again.

One of the Clefables approached Ash, Serena, and Brock. In its hand were three silver stones that looked similar to the giant stone in the middle. "Clefable! Clef! Clefable!"

"It's saying thank you for bringing home its child," Ilene stated. "The Moonstones are a reward so to speak."

The trio looked at one another in confusion. First Ash could understand Lucario and now Ilene with Clefable? They each took a Moonstone, looking between it, the Clefable, and Ilene.

"Silly me," Ilene giggled. "I can understand Pokémon by reading their minds."

Brock's jaw dropped. "Does that mean you're a Psychic?"

"That's right!" She winked.

Ash couldn't believe he met a Psychic. Very rare people in today's world were able to harness such power, though there were notable Gym Leaders and Frontier Brains he was aware that possess the power. Still, not an everyday situation.

Riley eyed the entire group, appeared lost in thought for a moment. "Let's get all of these people out of here so they can dance in peace." He turned to Ilene. "Care to do the honors?"

"With pleasure." Ilene crackled her fingers before holding them out like Gardevoir. Together, they lifted the grunts and their Pokéballs and moving out of the cavern.

As they were clearing out, Ash looked for Arcanine. "Riley, where did Arcanine go?"

The knight held his chin. "Was that not one of your Pokémon?"

"Maybe it was a wild Arcanine?" Serena suggested.

"That's a possibility," Brock noted. "But why did it leave?"

Riley then approached Serena who was carrying Eevee in her arms. He performed the same technique as Lucario and healed Eevee's injury. He had better explain everything once they make it out of the cave.

* * *

Riley led everyone out of the dark cave using his aura to feel the terrain. The moon was still high in the sky with the stars twinkling alongside it. Along the way of heading out, the group decided to clear out the man-made lights much to the appreciation of the Pokémon living within the mountain.

Ilene tied a rope, psychically around the grunts while separating them from their Pokéballs. They were not heading anywhere any time soon. As she wrapped up, the man known as Brock approached her.

"Oh sweet Ilene, I wish you could read my mind. Words aloud cannot describe your beauty and what I feel whenever I look into your beautiful emerald eyes!"

Riley raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of behavior. Apparently, his friends were also dumbfounded by the exchange. Serena might be embarrassed to be associated with him.

"How about I pretend this didn't happen and you get to keep any memory of me," Ilene countered, classic.

Brock cowered behind his interesting friends. Looks like his heart was shattered by the rejection. Though, he should get over it pretty quickly.

"On behalf of the Rota Kingdom, I thank you for your brave services in pushing back the enemy," Riley exclaimed. "Without you, Lucario wouldn't have been cured of its confusion or had enough strength to take on a confused Gardevoir."

Ilene nodded. "Indeed, if we were at the kingdom, we would throw you a feast in your honor but take an open invitation to the kingdom especially around our annual Hero of the Aura festival."

Serena laughed while scratching her head. "We only went in because we thought a Pokémon Guardian was inside. We were shocked to find Knights."

"I suppose Lucario deceived you a little," Riley chuckled, turning to his Pokémon to get the full details through aura. "I'm actually an Aura Guardian."

The teens' jaws dropped.

"As in like Sir Aaron?" Ash asked.

Being outside the Kingdom was a strange experience for the Aura Guardian. "That's right. If you would believe it, Sir Aaron is one of my ancestors."

"Just like Lady Rin is one of my ancestors," Ilene added.

"No way," Serena leaned in. "They were real?"

The knights scratched their faces and nodded.

"Most definitely," Riley stated. "Perhaps to the modern world, they're nothing but fairytales, but the Rota Kingdom still believes in their existence due to the many teachings and historical texts we have of when they lived."

Ilene placed a hand on her head and imbued an image of a painting of the two legends in everyone's minds along with their signature Pokémon being a Lucario, Gardevoir, and a Pidgeot. Between all of them was a staff belonging to Sir Aaron.

"We're actually on a quest," she stated. "During the great war between our Kingdom and a rival Kingdom, they disappeared without a trace. By finding Sir Aaron's staff, wherever it might be, we will be able to prove to the world that they existed."

"Retracing their steps, we discovered they headed towards Mt. Moon," Riley continued. "We figured it would be the logical place to find the staff, but we had a run-in with Team Rocket before we were able to get very far."

Brock nodded. "I can't believe my favorite children's book turned out to be history."

"Same," Ash chuckled. "I used to pretend I was an Aura Guardian."

"I didn't know that," Serena smiled. "Must have been before we met."

Riley eyed the feather on Serena's hat before turning to Ash. "I'm rather surprised you didn't know Aura Guardians existed, Ash."

"Really?" The young man blinked. "Why is that?"

"Because, you're naturally gifted in aura yourself," he replied.

"I am!" Ash's eyes widened with his other two friends joining in on his confusion.

Riley considered his words carefully, not to overwhelm or put the burden onto him. "Aura is what connects every living thing to one another. Some people are more in tune with that energy that allows us to understand how people and Pokémon are feeling. Lucario is a special case as we can understand them like they can understand people."

"So Ash's sudden illness earlier today…" Serena trailed off.

"During Lucario's confusion, it must have been sending out waves of intense emotion that manifested itself in pain for Ash," Riley surmised. "In a way, Lucario was calling out for help. A trained aura user would have been able to separate his emotions from another being."

Ash faced Lucario. "Even though it was painful, I'm glad we found you."

The more Riley looked at the rainbow feather, the more he believed he needed to take Ash under his wing. Given the current circumstances, that was rather difficult nor should he make something out of an ordinary citizen.

"Why don't I teach you a trick to help you in case this happens again or you happen to run into a Riolu?"

"A Riolu?" Ash blinked.

Ilene showed everyone an image in their minds. "It's the pre-evolution of Lucario. As far as I'm aware, they're a rather picky Pokémon when it comes to who they'll allow for a partner. Often, they travel far and wide searching for a person whose aura resonates with their own."

Riley nodded to the information. "Riolu typically helps one train in manipulating aura and would know the move Aura Sphere. They almost always find their partner by the age of 10 so again I'm surprised you haven't met one yet."

"Really?" Brock asked. "I thought a Lucario learned Aura Sphere when it evolved."

"That's technically correct," Riley chuckled. "However, some are born with that move already learned. A sign that it is destined to be with an Aura Guardian. Though for some, it's possible for it to learn with enough dedicated work." He stared at Ash. "With your abilities, I have no doubt you'll meet one someday. Care for my lesson?"

"Sure!" Ash answered.

Riley guided him off to the side, sitting down in a patch of grass. Lucario sat beside him while Pikachu sat beside Ash across from them. Their friends watched it from afar.

"This is known as the Aura Shield," Riley instructed. He let himself focus on the shield around his body, going back to basics to allow his aura to reveal itself to Ash in a blue veil around his body. "This'll prevent any aura user from overwhelming you with emotions."

Ash and Pikachu had their jaw dropped.

"Once you get the hang of it, you won't glow like a Christmas Tree," he continued and concealing his aura. "To begin, I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath in and exhale through your mouth slowly."

Ash did what he was instructed to do while keeping his hands on his knee caps. Pikachu mimicked Ash's movements.

"Breathing in, I want you to feel the energy around you. The warmth of every grass blade to every fiber in Pikachu's fur."

The young man took his deep breaths, but his subtle eye movements told Riley that he didn't feel a thing. Could he had been wrong in reading his aura? No, he was certainly gifted. He just needed some guidance as the typical Aura Guardian trained since the age of 10.

"Let aura be an extension of your senses," he explained. "You feel the warmth around you. You always have without realizing it. Allow it to guide you in seeing what's in front of you. Let go of your doubts and have peace of mind."

Ash tried again, this time relaxing his shoulders. His eyes did not move rapidly under his eyelids. Just as he was beginning to grasp the concept, he opened his eyes. "Do did perform the Aura Shield?"

Riley rubbed his neck. "Not quite, you were able to sense Aura that time I believe. Did you feel the ocean of warmth and see Lucario and me?"

"I remember feeling the warmth before seeing an outline of you and Lucario," he explained.

"I see," Riley sighed. Maybe it would take longer than tonight to teach him a basic technique, but he was being foolish. Ash had zero training in the aura. Anything that he has done with Aura was due to his natural abilities. "If you practice this breathing exercise, you'll be able to sense aura in no time."

"What about the Aura Shield technique?"

Riley considered telling him the steps. "Once you're able to hold your sight for about five minutes, I want you to think about wrapping yourself in a blanket. The aura around you will then cover your body to protect you. Though, maintaining it for long periods of time will take some time as your body needs to adjust to the strain. Don't go overboard and keep it on you for short intervals until you develop the endurance."

Ash leaned back. "Man, I guess being an Aura Guardian is tougher than it sounds. Though, why am I able to understand Pokémon's feeling so easily? Didn't you say I could also understand people as well?"

"Mastering the Aura Sight is key to reading people's emotions. Pokémon don't tend to hide their feelings, unlike people. Plus, I would say reading aura is different than manipulating so don't feel bad that you didn't get it tonight. Work hard and you'll become an Aura Guardian in no time."

The duo regrouped with the others, noticing a couple of Pokémon that decided to join them. A Zubat hovered around Brock. A Cleffa clung onto Serena.

"I guess you must have liked that I helped you and your friends," Brock said. "Does this mean you want to come with me?"

"Zubat!" It nodded.

With a Pokéball, Brock captured the bat-like Pokémon. On his phone, he saw additional information. _Zubat, the bat Pokémon. It emits ultrasonic cries while it flies. They act as a sonar used to check for objects in its way. _

_Gender: Male_

_Ability: Inner Focus_

_Nature: Quiet_

Serena frowned. "I thought you wanted to stay with your friends and family."

"Cleffa. Clef!" It replied while pointing at her.

"Cleffa admired your courage in protecting it against Lucario and bringing it home as you promised," Ilene said. "I believe it wants to be your friend and get to know you more."

The Pokémon nodded. "Cleffa!"

Serena beamed in joy as she took out a Pokéball for it to get captured in. Like Zubat, it did not put up a fight and let the ball do its magic. "Alright! I caught a Cleffa!" She posed.

"Eevee!" The evolution Pokémon joined in the celebration.

With her Pokédex, she looked up some more information. _Cleffa, the star shape Pokémon. Because of its unusual, star-like silhouette, people believe that it came here on a meteor._

_Gender: Female_

_Ability: Magic Guard_

_Nature: Careful_

Riley, Ilene, and Ash congratulated them for making new friends.

The trio of friends waved goodbye, wishing the knights luck on their quest in finding Sir Aaron's staff while Riley and Ilene stayed behind to wait for the police to arrive.

Riley held his chin as the trio disappeared in the distance. Everything he knew about aura told him that Ash and Serena were impossible. But there was no mistake as even Lucario felt their presence.

"What do you mean their auras are similar to ours?" Ilene asked, reading his mind.

Lucario shrugged. "When I first met them, I had mistaken Ash and Serena for you two until I saw them."

Riley turned to Mt. Moon. "As far as I'm aware, no two auras are alike. Not even within a family though there might be similarities here and there. Unless they're family, we're looking at something that's not supposed to be possible."

"Hmm, Sir Aaron and Lady Rin were in love, but I don't think they ever had kin," Ilene scratched her chin. "Unless the historical texts were wrong or incomplete."

"Of course, what's troubling me more is the Rainbow Feather," he remarked. "Surely you must have seen it."

Ilene blinked. "I actually didn't until you mentioned it now. Does that mean another crisis is brewing? It does make sense for Serena to be chosen."

"So she does have powers?" Riley asked.

She nodded. "Somewhat dormant, but bits and pieces are coming to the surface. I don't believe she's completely aware of it."

"If she was chosen, then there's a possibility that Ash will be chosen as well. Perhaps our meeting with those people was not by chance." Riley kneeled at Ilene's feet. "How would you like to proceed, Princess?"

Ilene became flustered. "How many times have I told you to not call me that? We're not even in the kingdom! Can't I be a beautiful knight like you for at least a day?!"

Riley laughed while standing up. "And miss an opportunity to see you like this?"

"You're totally the worst champion of all time!" Ilene turned around with her arms crossed. "Anyways, I think we should stick around here to see if our lead becomes cold. Maybe a time-flower will be nearby for us to find. I'm not sure what the world has in store for us nor them, but I feel like we should keep a close eye on them just in case anything bad happens to them."

* * *

Arcanine stared off into the distance of a cliff on Mt. Moon. It eyed Ash and his friends as they trailed off and saw Ash's first attempts in learning aura. Time had a funny sense of humor. It transformed back into Mew with her pondering what to do as if that was a question. She transformed into a Clefairy to join her friends in performing the Moon Dance.

* * *

In a helicopter flying over the sea, a man in a black Team Rocket uniform, a beret, and has blue hair was looking outside the window. He then turned his attention to the metal briefcase beside him. He opened it that contained many fossils. He made sure to double-check the exact amount as his laptop started to play a ringtone.

With a press of a button, a video feed of Giovanni sitting in his office appeared. "Proton, report."

Proton showed Giovanni the different fossils. "We've collected about twenty fossils before Jessie and James told us to leave under your special orders…I apologize that we couldn't secure more."

"Don't look too sad old friend," Giovanni smiled. "This is more than enough. What's your ETA to Cinnabar Island?"

"About another hour or so," Proton replied while closing the briefcase. "I have to ask, what's so special about a group of kids? We could easily take them out and have secured more fossils."

Giovanni brought his hands together and leaned back in his chair. "Let's just say I'm curious to see what they learn or come across."

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and what and how I used Aura. Please let me know some of your thoughts on the chapter in a review or PM.**

**Next Time: Chapter 8: Waterflowers of Cerulean City ("I have a counter offer!")**

**Questions you might have after the chapter**

**Q: Who is Lady Rin and Ilene?**

**I just repurposed Queen Rin and Queen Ilene from Movie 8.  
**

**Q: Wait a minute, didn't the Rota Kingdom in M8 have the staff belonging to Sir Aaron?**

**Like I said at the end of chapter 1, I'm doing my own thing. The movies might not be in the cannon order either or I might be combining some ideas together.**

**Q: Doesn't Ash technically own the Rainbow Feather?**

**Yes, they just assumed it was owned by Serena because it was on her person.**


	9. Waterflowers of Cerulean City Part 1

**AN: There is an OC in this chapter of my own design. I hope you enjoy my character. More will be explained after the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Waterflowers of Cerulean City Part 1**

Ash navigated down a sidewalk of Cerulean City, trying to catch up to his best friend. Serena had been booking it ever since the city had been a sight. At first, he thought she wanted to shop for a dress but she seemingly passed every single store that could offer one. That had him concern because she had been frantic about it with her upcoming Contest.

Even worst, she had been on the fritz trying to come up with a topic to research. Professor Oak had sent her an email about the deadline. She spent more time on her phone and researching a potential topic than helping him. In some ways, it made him sad as he quite enjoyed working with Serena. On the other hand, he wanted her to be happy.

"Come on guys!" Serena ran in place at the corner. "We have to hurry!"

Brock was beside him, running frantically to avoid everyone that he could. Ever since Mt. Moon, he had been doubling his efforts in learning the medical world. Particularly, he had been focusing on how to approach Pokémon. So Ash offered him access to Professor Oak's database in learning what to do when they're in pain and scared.

"Mind telling us why we're running like maniacs?" Brock juked an old lady carrying groceries.

Serena rolled her eyes. "Tickets for the Sensational Sisters will be sold out if we don't hurry!" She ran on ahead.

Brock perked up. "How could I forget?!" He hugged the buildings, running faster than ever. "Come on, Ash! We must hurry!"

Ash sighed, not understanding what the fuss was all about. All he knew as Serena had wanted to see the Sensational Sisters perform live ever since seeing videos of them as kids. Of course, she told them now as opposed to when the marathon started.

Prior to the announcement, he had been set on finding local Trainers to battle in preparation for his upcoming Gym Battle. Aside from battling, he wanted to find ways to improve his endurance as he had been getting better at sensing aura, but now he wanted to try the Aura Shield technique.

He guessed he should throw those plans out the window to help Serena fulfill a childhood dream. He followed Brock's lead with his second wind.

The trio arrived in front of a natatorium with a Dewgong sign with the words 'The Sensational Sisters' on it. The building itself was circular and several stories high with posters of the sisters plastered all over the walls. Daisy was a blonde that sported a pirate's costume with an eyepatch over her left eye. Violet had dark blue hair in a mermaid outfit. Lily had pink hair and wore a heroic prince-like outfit. Or did that make her a princess?

"This can't be happening!" Serena covered her face with her hair. There was a huge line that wrapped around the building. Eevee licked her face, but the honey-blonde appeared to ignore her Pokémon.

Ash hunched over, catching his breath. "You bought tickets online, didn't you?"

His best friend sadly shook her head. "The Sensational Sisters have some of the worst business practices! They only sell tickets the day of their performances and only mere hours too…"

Ash didn't understand business practices, but wow that did sound dumb. "Do they just expect people to show up?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Brock creepily stared at the poster before pointing at it. "They're all beauties! If they decide to go solo, I bet the venture will be sold out!"

Ash sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. While the costumes were amazing, he didn't see the appeal in the women. Sure, they looked nice but they didn't have any appeal to him. All he could focus on was Serena and wanting her to be able to see the performance at least. They waited nearly an hour in line to get to the ticket booth.

"Three tickets, please!" Serena told the clerk.

The clerk sighed. "Sorry, ma'am, but we just sold out."

"What?!" Serena gasped. "There must be some kind of mistake!"

The clerk shook their head. "Better luck next time." They immediately closed the booth.

People behind them scattered with disappointed faces. Many presumably went home while others looked like they wanted to see the aquatic tanks with Pokémon inside.

"I'm sorry guys." Serena turned around with a frown. "We came all this way for nothing."

"Highly unfortunate, but at least we gave it a shot," Brock sighed, rubbing his hair and looking at the ground.

Ash raised his arms in the air. "Cheer up, guys! We still have plenty to look forward to in the city like my Gym Battle and Serena's upcoming Contest. Can't we catch the next showing?"

His best friend weakly smiled and shook her head. "Unfortunately, they only do showings every other Friday…"

"Oh…" Ash adjusted his hat downward. By then, they would most likely have made it to another city. "Sorry that I held you guys up."

Brock placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. If they had more conventional ways of selling tickets, Serena would have bought them ahead of time. Why don't we head towards the Pokémon Center and then find some Trainers to battle?"

Ash liked the sound of that idea when a pair of cold hair covered his eyes.

"Guess who, Ash!" Said a familiar voice.

His back shivered several times as he quickly removed the hands. He immediately noticed Serena's stiffness in her body while pouting. Brock appeared curious about the person standing behind him. As he suspected, it was none other than Miette.

"Miette…" Ash laughed awkwardly. "It's been a while."

"Too long if you ask me," the Coordinator giggled. "I had been worried about you since hearing about a Team Rocket operation being foiled at Mt. Moon. I was afraid you might have gotten in the middle of that. I see now I had nothing to worry about."

Ash glanced at his friends. Each of them had an awkward smile but he got the general understanding that they were not going to talk about that experience.

"So…" Brock cleared his throat. "Were you hoping to get tickets to see the show too?"

Miette nodded with a sigh. "I lost track of time at the Pokémon Center, practicing some performances. I would have secured a ticket or two sooner had I known you were arriving today. Wait a minute, why is the Pewter City Gym Leader here?"

"Former Gym Leader," the aspiring doctor corrected. "Being a Gym Leader was never my passion. Nowadays, I'm traveling with Ash and Serena to learn more about being a Pokémon Doctor."

The Kalos native grinned. "Incredible. I hope Ash's Pokemon are the healthiest in the world!" She hung an arm around Serena. "Not a bad option, am I right?"

Serena narrowed her eyes while whispering harshly. "Totally not my type!"

"Don't you love tall, dark, and handsome?" Miette wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

"If you like him so much, then be my guest!" Serena retorted.

Miette glanced at Ash. "Maybe I will."

Serena's cheeks appeared to be turning red with her teeth grinding.

Ash scratched his head, not following who they're referring about. "What are you guys talking about?"

"You have got to be kidding me…" Brock slapped his forehead while looking downward.

Serena took a step to the side, folding her arms, and looking to the side. "Nothing important, humph."

"Girl talk isn't nothing," Miette laughed. "Anyways, this wasn't a complete waste of a trip. When were you planning on your Gym Battle? I hope I didn't miss it."

"I signed up on Sunday," Ash answered.

The girls looked at one another, the color drained from their faces. "Please tell me you didn't!" They both said in unison.

"Is something wrong?" Ash blinked.

Serena hung her head. "You'll miss my debut."

"Wait, I thought Gyms were usually open on weekdays as opposed to weekends." Miette had a hand on her hip.

"Most of them do," Brock acknowledge. "However, some, like the Cerulean Gym, have exceptions for a variety of reasons."

Miette glared at Serena. "Great…here I thought you would have told Ash when the Cerulean Contest was taking place to avoid this massive headache."

"If that's when he was able to schedule his match, then it can't be helped!" Serena retorted.

She wasn't wrong. If he had to cancel his spot, finding another spot would take possibly another week. That was time he couldn't waste staying in one particular city.

"Keep dreaming!" Miette raised her voice. "You had plenty of time to tell him. With a proper heads up, he would have been able to find a better time to have his match."

The Coordinators had heated arguments that drew the attention of everyone in the lobby. Some babies might be crying due to the yelling.

Brock nudged Ash. "We have to do something."

"Like what?" He shrugged.

"Excuse me," said a calm, female voice. To the group's left was a woman sporting a blue jacket over a water suit with a teardrop-shaped emblem on her chest and a blue stripe down the side. She wore a pair googles on her strawberry blonde hair that went down her back. She had an athletically toned body as well.

The girls stopped their bickering, turning to the woman. They covered their mouths with their hands.

Brock decided to hide behind Ash. A very poor job if Ash had a say, but he was too busy being in awe of the woman.

"R-Rachel Waterflower?" He stumbled in his words. "W-What's the Gym Leader doing here?"

The swimmer flicked her hair. "Why I came here to support my daughters and their theatrics." She giggled. "Though your girlfriends' outburst caught my attention. Did I hear right in that you're caught between cheering them on for a Contest against having a Gym Battle with me?"

Ash nodded, though he didn't know why she said 'girlfriends' in the way that she did. They were girls that happen to be his friend.

"Mom!" Another woman whispered loudly. "What are you doing?" She appeared to be around Ash's age. She had orange hair tied in a sideway ponytail with a pair of sunglasses on her head. She wore a yellow jacket over an ocean blue compression shirt and red shorts over leggings. Like her mother, she had an athletic tone body too.

Ash's jaw dropped. As if it wasn't enough to meet a Gym Leader but he also gets to meet a Top 16 finalist in last year's Regional League.

Rachel motioned her daughter to join in the conversation. "I believe I have a solution to solve both of our problems."

"What do you mean by _both_?" The daughter growled.

The Gym Leader looked at her daughter. "Misty, I want you to coach this young man to beat me in a battle." She then turned her attention to Ash. "If you accept my daughter as your coach, I'll pull some strings to give you a spot that won't interfere with the Contest."

"That's not fair!" Misty stomped her foot. "I've passed every test and battle examination according to the PLA." She pointed at Ash. "If anything, he should be battling me to earn himself a Cascade Badge!"

Ash was taken aback at their conflict. Sounded like Misty qualified in every aspect to be a Gym Leader in Training. She was at least of the Challenger class and passed the PLA standards. What gives? Brock allowed his brother to be his Trainee and Forrest didn't even compete in the Regional League.

Rachel folded her arms. "Regardless of your accomplishments and what the PLA has to say, you're not qualified to be my Trainee. Daisy, Violet, and even Lily would make better Trainees than you."

"I'm more qualified than any of them!" Misty growled.

"Then prove it!" Rachel challenged. "Coach this challenger to victory and then I'll reconsider my stance, assuming he finds these terms acceptable."

Misty glared at Ash. "Kid, you better accept this limited time offer to be coached by the Water Star!"

Ash scratched his head. While he was intrigued by meeting Misty for her amazing water-type training, after seeing her in person, he was less sure about getting to know her. Let alone having her coach him. The only thing he thought that made sense was for her to teach him his way around a water battlefield.

He turned to his friends on any input on the matter. Upon seeing Serena, he remembered why he was here in the first place. Perhaps there was a way for all of them to win.

"I have a counter offer!"

"This better be good," Rachel laughed.

"I'll accept if we're able to see the Sensational Sisters perform tonight!"

The mother and daughter looked at one another, appearing to be considering the possibility with subtle body movement. Serena and Miette gave pleading looks.

"Sorry, kid but that's a tall order," Rachel sighed. "These showings are usually packed so no extra seats. We also don't allow people backstage anymore."

"Yeah…the last time we allowed that things got…creepy." Misty had her eyes shut, appearing to be fighting off some thoughts.

Ash frowned, not willing to give up. "There must be something you can do. We came all this way."

"The best I can offer are tickets to the next showing," Rachel answered. "Take it or leave it."

Misty sighed upon looking at Ash's expression. "Wait…there might be one thing we can do." She turned to her mom. "Why don't we have them perform at the Gym before or after the battle?"

"Hmm," Rachel appeared to be deep in thought. "People would come to see the show, but I don't think they'll care for the battle, especially with a nobody. If we were to do this, it would be during primetime."

Ash took a deep breath while adjusting his cap. He was not going to let this opportunity slip away from him. "I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

Misty's eyes widened with a grin. "As in the son of Red Ketchum? No backing out, mom!"

Rachel laughed at her daughter while considering the possibility once again. "Alright kid, you got yourself a deal." She shook hands with Ash. "I'll work my magic to get my daughters to perform at the Gym so your friends can enjoy their show and ensure your bottle doesn't line up with the upcoming Contest as long as you allow Misty to coach you for our coming battle."

"Deal!" Ash said happily. Everything was going to work out just fine.

"You're more than welcome to use the Gym facilities to coach," Rachel told Misty. "Once I have everything figured out, I'll text you the date and time."

Misty smirked. "Thanks, mom." Then she quickly grabbed ahold of Ash's hand and started to drag him out the door. "Come on, Mr. Ketchum. We're going to see what you're made of!"

* * *

Excitement filled the bone of Misty. Becoming a Gym Leader in Training was within reach. All she had to do was coach Ash Ketchum to beat her mom. Half the work should already be done. He was after all the son of a legend. She escorted him and his friends to the Gym and to the battlefield.

The field consisted of a large circular pool with a circular rock formation. Tons of floating platforms floated in the water.

The Coordinators sat in the dugout while Ash took his place in the trainer box. Brock acted as the judge while Misty determined which of her personal Pokémon would be a far challenge to a Trainer class with one badge.

"So how will this coaching thing work?" Ash asked.

"First, we're going to battle," Misty smirked. "Afterwards, we'll talk about it. Though, I doubt I would have much to say to you."

Ash scratched his head. "I don't know about that." Both of them used the VS Seeker to make it an official battle.

Brock explained the standard Gym Battle rules for a three-on-three. "Misty, please choose your first Pokémon."

The orange-haired beauty kissed her Pokéball and tossing it out. "Magikarp, grace us with your beauty!"

Splashing into the water was a red-scaled fish with a pair of whiskers. A Pokémon she had recently caught and trained. It sure should provide a decent challenge.

"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash pointed out.

The electric-type ran down his arm and hopping onto the rock formation. It sparked its cheeks.

"Battle Begin!"

Misty pondered Ash's move. If he started with a Pikachu, then he must have another type strong against water-types. Only one way to find out. "Hydro Pump!"

Ash's eyes widened while he held onto the railing. "Run to the right and use Thunder Shock!"

Pikachu moved on its right, eying the water for Magikarp's shadow until it disappeared.

Knowing her Pokémon, it swam deeper into the pool, moving into a prime position to hop out of the water. It wasted no time in blasting Pikachu from behind and having it belly flop in the water.

"Tackle!" Misty followed up.

Ash bit his lips, waiting for a moment. "Play Rough!"

The Fish Pokémon submerged underwater and outswam Pikachu, bashing its head, and causing both Pokémon to come flying out of the water.

Pikachu grabbed ahold of the whiskers and performed an overhead throw to send Magikarp flying towards the rock formation.

"Bounce!" Misty countered.

"Electro Ball!" Ash commanded.

The electric-type swung an Electro Ball prior to falling back to the water.

Magikarp used its momentum to catch the air around it and guided its course to the rock formation. It slammed its tail and springboard back into the air, avoiding the opponent's attack.

"Thunder Shock!" Ash hollered.

"You know what to do!" Misty encouraged.

The Mouse Pokémon blasted electrical attacks towards the falling Magikarp.

The Fish Pokémon spun to the left and right, evading the attacks, closing in for a devastating blow.

"Iron Tail!" Ash shouted.

With perfect timing, Pikachu whacked Magikarp on the side, sending it skidding on the water like a pebble.

"Thunder Shock!"

Magikarp was zapped before it could recover. Once the attack ended, the Fish Pokémon floated in the water.

"Magikarp is unable to battle!" Brock declared.

The cheerleading squad cheered upon victory. Their Pokémon also celebrated as well.

The Water Princess returned her Pokémon, kissing the ball as a thank you. Part of her was irritated by the Coordinators for counting her out after one round. After all, Ash's battling skills didn't wow her. His Pikachu was certainly well trained, but where was the strategy, the flare? Maybe she was judging him too quickly as there was still plenty of time to see what he was made of.

"Seadra!" She kissed the Pokéball. "Grace us with your power!"

A blue scaled, seahorse looking Pokémon appeared in the water. It had wing-like pectoral fins, a stout tail, and appeared to be angry. That's when she knew it was ready for battle.

Pikachu sparked its cheeks with Ash using his Pokédex, probably to determine what kind of ability it might have.

"Battle begin!"

"Electro Ball!" Ash began.

"Duck and Twister!" Misty countered.

The Dragon Pokémon submerged underwater, avoiding the Electro Ball. Within seconds, it was probably underneath the platform that Pikachu stood. The water started to swirl in a clockwise fashion, spinning the platform along with it.

"Get out of there!" Ash shouted.

Too late. A cyclone of water sprouted out of the water, sending Pikachu along for a nasty ride.

"Water Pulse!" Misty followed up.

"Thunder Shock to get yourself free!"

Seadra popped its head out of the water, eying Pikachu's movement. It aimed its snout carefully, gathering water into an orb to launch. While it might not have looked on target, the attack landed perfectly mid-fall, sending the electric-type crashing onto the rock formation.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Brock stated.

The Coordinators were silent this type, maybe in disbelief that Pikachu wasn't able to take out at least two of her Pokémon.

"Butterfree, I choose you!" Ash tossed out his next Pokémon without retrieving Pikachu. "Use Confusion and bring Pikachu back to me!"

The bug-type lifted Pikachu with its psychic move, bringing the defeated Pokémon to Ash. He took the Pokémon, setting it to the ground, and thanked it for its efforts.

Upon seeing the bug-type, Misty's hands started to shake. Her heart rate increased and her stomach turned left and right. Why in the world does he have a bug-type? Points for it having greater mobility, but did he not have another Pokémon that's super effective against water-types?

Don't get her started on Pikachu's lackluster performance of not hitting Seadra last round. No matter, as long as the bug-type doesn't touch her, she should be fine.

"Battle begin!"

"Rain Dance into Icy Wind!" Misty commanded.

"Gust!" Ash countered.

Seadra cooed rainclouds into existence to cause a downpour all over the field. Following up on the rain, the Dragon Pokémon expelled cold air into the sky.

Butterfree moved out of the way from the brunt of the attack, but it was pelleted by the frozen raindrops. It fought through the pain the produced wind that carried a mixture of water and ice.

Seadra swam against the current, braving the attack.

"Electroweb!" Ash extended his arm.

Misty's eyes narrowed. No wonder he decided on Butterfree. He trained it to learn an electrical move like she did for Magikarp and its moves. Maybe she judged him too quickly. "Smokescreen!"

From its snout, smoke poured onto the pool, concealing its position.

Butterfree was quick on the draw, sending several Electrowebs in the area. Some expanded to cover a wide distance.

"Seadra!" The Dragon Pokémon shouted in pain. The smoke disappeared revealing it had been zapped. Residue from the web covered its body grossly.

The athletic beauty was slightly impressed. "Scald!"

"Confusion it right back!" Ash countered.

Steaming water blasted from Seadra's snout only to be frozen in midair by Confusion. The water circled back towards Seadra who dove underwater. The clash of the pool water and Scald caused a light fog to appear.

"Twister!" Misty commanded.

"Electroweb the water!" Ash shouted.

A water cyclone beat Butterfree to the punch. The winds started to pick up as the Twister gained power from the pool water and rain.

As far as Misty could tell, Ash was busy holding onto Pikachu and the railing. "Get-web!"

While she didn't quite get the command, she followed Butterfree's movement. It had been following the air currents and slowly climbing to the very top.

"Water Pulse, above you!" Misty had a pretty good idea of what he was doing. A crazy plan at that.

The winds started to die down with Seadra popping out of the water, waiting for the perfect opportunity to launch its attack.

Butterfree floated above the eye of the cyclone when it dissipated.

Seadra launched Water Pulse that slammed Butterfree, but it managed to fire back an Electroweb that hit the Dragon Pokémon. The bug-type went spiraling into the ceiling while Seadra was zapped.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!"

The girls came rushing out of the dugout, appeared to be worried about their friend. Misty didn't blame them as she had him on the ropes unless he was wise to save a strong Pokémon for last.

Misty returned her Pokémon, kissing the ball, happy with how Seadra performed. Still, Ash disappointed her. There was an obvious solution that would have avoided his Pokémon from getting seriously hurt. At the bottom of her heart, she hoped Butterfree was okay given Seadra's Sniper ability.

With a kiss of her next Pokémon, she quickly moved on. "Starmie, grace us with your beauty!"

Appearing in the water was a starfish-like Pokémon that had a total of ten appendages. It also had an octagonal, red jewel in the middle of its body. It spun around in the water with Ash looking it up with his Pokédex.

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Ash sent out his last Pokémon. The flying type soared around the area before returning to its side of the field.

The beauty narrowed her eyes. What was Ash doing? Did he not have another electric or grass-type?

"Battle begin!"

"Bait it out with Gust!" Ash started.

"Rapid Spin!" Misty countered.

Like Butterfree, Pidgeotto got closer to the water to flap its wings. Before it could get stronger, Starmie came spinning out of the water vertically to hit the flying type like a wheel.

Ash winced at the sight. "Quick Attack into Wing Attack!"

Starmie descended back to the water. Pidgeotto arched its back while diving down to the water. At the last moment, it pulled up with added speed. It smacked the Mysterious Pokémon with its head before slapping it repeatedly with its wings.

"Thunderbolt!" Misty frowned.

"Climb, quickly!" Ash shouted.

The Mysterious Pokémon's jewel turned yellow as it spun around. It generated electricity that zapped Pidgeotto.

"Finish it with Psychic!" Misty followed up.

The jewel turned blue as Pidgeotto no longer controlled its movements. Starmie toyed with it by having it thrown in a circular pattern in the air before slamming it against the rocky landscape.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" Brock declared. "This means, the winner of this match is Misty!"

Blondie and the other chick frowned upon seeing Ash's defeat. They made their way over to his trainer box as he returned his Pokémon. He lowered his cap to cover his eyes and picked up Pikachu before leaving the platform.

Misty didn't bother to return Starmie as she marched her way over to Ash. Was this kid really the son of Red Ketchum? He sure didn't feel like it. His strategies were nonexistent to basic. He just made them up as the match went on. Anger boiled her blood.

"Tough break," Brock said. "You did well considering it was your first time on a water battlefield."

"With some extra training, you should get her next time," Miette winked.

"Uh…I think you looked amazing out there," Serena stated.

Misty joined the group with her hands upon her hips. "What's the big idea here? Are you truly the son of Red?"

Ash grimaced. "What is that supposed to mean? Of course, I'm his son. Why would I make that up?"

"I don't know. Maybe so you could see my sisters perform with your friends!" Misty crossed her arms while tapping her foot. "Where's the fun, challenging, and exciting aspects of Red's battling style? Let alone your line up was terrible and poorly prepared. You could have easily won with a better strategy."

"That was my first time on a water battlefield!" Ash retorted. "Out of my current team, Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and Butterfree were the best to deal with a water battlefield. Would you have rather me send out a Nidoran and a Charmander?"

Misty scoffed. "You don't even have a water-type either and you're making up excuses. I refuse to believe that the great Red Ketchum would train his son to be as pitiful as you. The son of Red would have more class and put up a greater challenge than you and certainly wouldn't lose to a Gym Leader in Training. That was one lousy battle. How do you expect to beat my mom?"

Ash hung his head low before looking at Misty with fury in his eyes. His grip on his electric type tightened. "Without you! Our deal's off!" He stormed off. "Let's go guys." Serena and Miette gave disapproving looks at Misty before walking away with him.

Misty blinked in disbelief. It was clearer to her that he wasn't the son of Red. It had to be it. Her breathes were shallower as she saw her chances of becoming a Gym Leader in Training walking away. Tears accumulated around her eyes and a sense of dread hovered in her chest. "FINE! I didn't want to coach a wannabe loser anyways!"

Serena stopped herself prior to the door. She turned around with a mean glare at Misty. "Ash is many things, but a loser isn't one of them! The only loser I see around here is you!" She slammed the door behind her.

The beauty wanted to break down crying as her dreams ended before they could begin; however, she noticed that Brock never left. "What are you still doing here?"

"I thought I could offer you some advice," the former Gym Leader appeared to be having some second thoughts.

"Why would I want any advice from you?" Misty gazed out at the pool. "You shouldn't have been qualified to be a Gym Leader in the first place. You had a few losing seasons and you even admitted you didn't want to be one in the first place!"

Brock crossed his arms with a tight grip. "On the contrary, I'm more qualified than you."

"Oh yeah?" Misty turned around. "Prove it! Battle me, right now!"

He shook his head. "I don't have to prove myself to you or anyone. In the short time I've known you, I can understand why your mother doesn't want you to become a Gym Leader in Training. You wouldn't qualify under any Gym either. Ashamed too, your battling skills are top-notch." He picked up his bag, seemingly changed his mind on offering any advice.

Misty's heart raced. Again, she was seeing her chances of becoming a Trainee slip away before her very eyes. What was she going to tell her mother? What would she do to fulfill her dream? "WAIT!"

The former Gym Leader paused in front of the exit.

"Why doesn't my mom want me to be her Trainee? Why don't I qualify under any Gym even with my battling skills?"

He turned his head. "You should look at the battle between Ash and my little brother, Forrest."

She was confused. "Grr…What kind of answer is that? Why can't you tell me?"

"Because I doubt Ash would want to see you so soon and in your current state of mind. Let alone it is best for you to observe what you lack and did wrong than me to spell it out. If you have the heart of a true Gym Leader then perhaps you'll be able to make amends with Ash and if you're lucky, salvage your deal." He left the arena, leaving Misty to her thoughts.

* * *

The aspiring Gym Leader took off to the locker room to change into a swimming suit. She returned to the battlefield to swim several laps around the rocky ring landscape. Usually, the cool touch of the water and the exercise helped to clear her mind. Not this time, no matter the stroke or time she spent. She couldn't shake off the sight of Ash leaving and Brock's words about she didn't qualify under any Gym.

She floated on her back while looking up to the ceiling. Thoughts on other ways to achieve her dream came to mind. She could move to a different region and take over a different Gym in time. She could do the Gym Challenge again. Still, her mind drifted back to being Cerulean City's Gym Leader. It was like her birthright since her sisters took up performing. Let alone, it should stay in the family.

With enough anger built up, she stood upright in the water and made a big splash. She did several times to release her anger at the situation. When she felt as if she couldn't make another splash, she decided to sit by the edge with her phone. She hated taking advice from a Gym Leader that wasn't worthy in her eyes, but she still had a chance even if a slim one.

She browsed through the internet to search for Ash's first Gym Battle. After her first viewing, she was even less impressed with Ash. That battle he managed to get lucky with Charmander still standing, Blaze activated, and it learning Flamethrower. She figured she was missing something so she watched it again three times over. On her second viewing, she fixated on Brock's role in helping Ash get through the crowd booing him. The crowd should be ashamed of themselves she thought. The third, she noticed the interactions between Ash and Forrest. On her final playthrough, she noticed that the two combatants did have fun despite the lackluster performance on Ash's part.

Lost in her thoughts, she pondered her battle with Ash until she was shoved back into the water. She floated in the water with an angry look to see her sisters laughing, specifically Violet and Lily. Daisy appeared amused but didn't laugh out loud. The sisters were in matching outfits.

"If my phone's ruined then you owe me a new one!" Misty yelled at them.

"Like we could totally afford it so not a big deal," Lily stated.

Misty got out of the water. "What are you three doing here anyway?"

Daisy handed Misty a towel to dry herself. "We thought you were long gone with that Ketchum kid at the Pokémon Center or something. We just wanted to get a lay of the land so we could plan and adapt one of our shows."

"I see…" Misty sighed while drying herself.

"Like is everything fine with you?" Violet asked.

"Just dandy," Misty quickly said.

Daisy raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound fine."

"Well I am fine!" Misty shouted. "Everything is fine…" She started to breathe heavily.

The trio of sisters shook their heads, not buying the act after the outburst.

"Hey girls, I think it's time for one of dad's traditions!" Lily happily said.

Violet gently hugged Misty. "Let's go get some ice cream! I bet that'll cheer you right up with whatever is troubling you!"

Daisy nodded. "Do we really need to keep calling it dad's tradition when he's not here?"

Misty's eye's widened. Could it be possible? Brushing off Violet aside, she ran towards the locker room to change. "Sorry, I gotta run!" Her sisters were dumbfounded.

* * *

Following Ash's defeat, he resided at the Pokémon Center to get all of his Pokémon checked by the staff. Serena and Miette seemingly called a truce in order to cheer Ash up. Unfortunately for them, it was more complicated than losing a battle. He had thought he accepted that people will place expectations onto him, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect perfection. Let alone his skills to be on par with his fathers. If that wasn't enough, he lost control of his emotions and called off the deal. Now his best friend couldn't see the Sensational Sisters.

He told the girls that he wanted some space and he went outside to sit upon a bench overlooking a battlefield. Once again, he looked up at the sky with a disappointed expression. He wanted to see the stars. Instead, he decided to close his eyes and practice the Aura Shield technique just to take his mind off of everything. Though, his anger prevented him from concentrating fully. He sat there for who knows how long, ignoring the chilly crisped air.

Images of Pikachu, Butterfree, and Pidgeotto came to his mind. How each one of them crashed into a hard surface. He hoped their injuries won't be served. He thought about the battle in general and some of the words Misty had to say. On some level, she was right. Maybe if he had a better strategy going into the battle would have helped. In contrast, she made great use of the battlefield and had several combinations moves up her sleeves, unlike Quick Attack into another attack. Forrest had strategies for his Pokémon and Frank as well. Even Damian was prepared with better strategies.

As he was trying to remember each strategy used against him, he heard Serena yelling at someone by the doors.

"What are you doing here?" His best friend crossed her arms with a glare.

"I came to talk to him," Misty surprisingly said calmly. "Is that a crime?"

Serena huffed. "He doesn't want to see you or talk to you. I suggest you buzz off!"

Misty narrowed her eyes. "What are you? His girlfriend or something?"

The honey-blonde lost her composure and waved her arms frantically in the air. "No, not at all! I mean, I'm his friend who happens to be a girl, but I'm not involved with him romantically or anything…" She twirled hair strands.

Ash's heart sunk. For some reason, Serena's comment made him feel sad.

The hothead deadpanned. "Then I suggest you mind your own business." She walked past his friend and towards him.

He closed his eyes, pretending he didn't see her.

"Ash," Misty said in a calm and sweet tone. When he didn't acknowledge her, she sighed. "I understand that I'm probably not someone you want to see right now, but please listen to what I have to say at least." She paused. "I'm really sorry for losing my cool earlier. Obviously, your father never taught you much when it comes to battles. It was wrong of me to assume you had any relations with your dad. Skills cannot be inherited like looks can through genes. I'm sorry for putting those expectations onto you."

The young man opened his eyes to see Misty bowing with her hands in front of her. He wished he could read human auras as well as he could with Pokémon. Based on her body language and tone of voice, he believed she was being sincere in her apology.

"I accept your apology," he finally spoke. "But for your information, my dad hasn't been around in my life so it's impossible for me to have learned anything from him."

Misty straightened herself out. "I see…I didn't know. I thought he had retired and lived with his family in Pallet Town."

"That's what most people think," Ash shook his head. "Along with being lazy or a coward for not facing Champion Blue. The truth is, he's been away on some sort of journey."

The orange-haired girl sat beside him with space in between. "Do you know why he's been on a journey?"

"I'm not sure," he shrugged. "When I was around seven, he told me he was going to train. Over the years, I began to doubt it, especially whenever my mom acted tough around me. Occasionally he would return, but only for a day if even but he stopped around when I was ten. Whatever it is he's doing, I assume it's really important."

"Do you wish he was around so he could have taught you everything you needed to know? Or even just think that he's watching your Gym Battles from afar?"

Ash faced Misty. "Yeah…how did you know?"

"Those are some my feelings towards my own father," she replied with a small grin. "I never met my father as according to my family he left shortly after I was born. Apparently, he wanted a boy so he was disappointed to have me…As a baby, he tried to get me to use boy pronouns instead of girl pronouns. My family tried to get him some help, but that's when he disappeared."

Ash couldn't believe someone would do such a thing. He couldn't even imagine how someone would feel after learning their dad basically didn't want them for who they were. "That's awful…I'm sorry to hear."

She averted her eyes while taking a deep breath. "Thanks…My sisters used to tell me that our dad was a Pokémon Ranger and that he saved lots of Pokémon and environments."

"How was he really?"

Misty shrugged. "For starters, he wasn't a Pokémon Ranger. He was some insurance salesman. According to my mom, he was sweet and gentle. To my sisters, he was very caring and involved until he lost it. My mom still wears her wedding ring in the hope that one day he'll return."

"I'm guessing you don't want to meet him anymore?" Ash looked towards the ground.

"Not as much as I used to or they do," she answered. "I wish he would make some amends with my family. Then I would finally get to know him and see for myself how he is instead of stories."

"I guess I should feel lucky that I know my father at the very least," Ash looked up towards the night sky. "Maybe I'll even get to see him while I'm on my journey."

Misty closed her eyes with a smile. "Then I suppose I'll pray for you to meet him again."

"Like I'll pray for you to meet yours!" Ash smiled at her.

A gentle breeze washed over them. They silently enjoyed the beauty of the moon.

"So Misty…"

"Yeah, Ash?"

The young man turned to her. "Why do you want to become a Gym Leader in Training? Is it because you want to be like your mom? I never really understood why you stopped competing in the Regional Leagues."

"In part," she laughed. "I love water-type Pokémon. They're all so cute and beautiful. As long as I can remember, I wanted to become the greatest Water-Type Specialist in the world. Becoming a Trainee is just the first step in completing that goal. Becoming Gym Leader would be even better as I get to be challenged by stronger Trainers."

"That's amazing," Ash remarked. "I suppose with all of your training, you know how to unlock a water-type's true potential."

Misty's cheeks flushed. "Well I wouldn't go that far…Everything that I know in battling comes from my mom. If she had been using her own team, I would never come close in beating her as I did." She then laughed. "What about you? I bet you want to become Regional Champion of Kanto!"

"Actually, I want to become a Pokémon Master!" Ash stood up. "I'm researching ways to unlock a Pokémon's full potential. Facing Gym Leaders, the Pokémon Leagues, Elite Fours, and Champions are steps along the way in discovering the secret!"

Misty blinked before shaking her head. Then she extended her hand. "Then let's help one another out. If we managed to beat my mom, I'll let you in on some of our secrets."

"Deal!" Ash shook her hand.

_Buzz! Buzz!_

Misty checked her phone with her eyes widening. "You got to be kidding me…"

"What's wrong?"

"My mom managed to schedule your match tomorrow night." She slapped her forehead.

"I thought the Cerulean Gym was closed on Saturdays."

She shrugged. "Between my sisters' performance and your battle, the network might have thought it'll draw in viewers. We barely have a day to be prepared… My mom is no joke."

Ash had seen her on TV and know that she boasted an impressive record. "Alright…What did I do wrong in our battle?"

Misty scratched her head. "First of all, you need to know your battlefield. A water battlefield leans heavily towards any water type. Starting off with Pikachu was a mistake because it's your one pure type advantage and it's limited by the rock formations and floating platforms. Then when Seadra created a water cyclone, you didn't recall your Butterfree to make it stop. Lastly, you didn't consider that water types can learn moves that are super effective against Pidgeotto. Going in close was its downfall."

Ash soaked the feedback in. He didn't know it was going to be that bad in regards to his mistakes. He wondered if his previous battles also had similar mistakes. "How would you used my line up?"

"I would have started off with…Butterfree…" She shivered while looking like she was fighting the urge to vomit.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," she quickly replied. "Anyways, Butterfree is better because it can fly which is a disadvantage for water types aiming most of their attacks. Assuming it beat Magikarp, I would have switched to give it some rest and used Pidgeotto. I suppose you had the right idea trying to bait out a water type from the water, but water types do have ways to counter flying types like Starmie with Thunderbolt. Win or lose, I would switch back to Butterfree to give Pikachu the best possible chance to sweep."

Ash saw that he was using his Pokémon to wear down his opposition. "Here I thought starting with Pikachu would have been better to give myself an early lead."

"Not necessarily the worst the idea, but then you should have swapped out after it taking a few hits," Misty replied. "If you also had a grass type and another electric type, that would have been more ideal with that strategy."

It made sense to Ash. "So what now?"

Misty pondered the thought. "First, I think it's important for me to know your team inside and out. Based on what you told me earlier, I think Pikachu, Butterfree, and Pidgeotto will probably be our best bet. Still, I want to know what's I'm dealing with."

For the remainder of the night, they went over Ash's notes on his Pokémon and his primary strategies with them. Misty examined the notes and decided the best course of action was to watch the film of different battles involving her mother and his current class and badge number.

The Gym only had three different teams for a Trainer of his caliber. They watched the battle as normal first with Ash going over what he had seen before Misty went over her observations. The future Trainee typically had more observations. Then they watched the battle again trying to point out weaknesses in strategies.

Apparently, when Misty had done the Gym Challenge, this was how she managed to prepare for her Gym Battles. Ash wished, he thought of that earlier.

They wrote down different strategies and the abilities of the Pokémon before making their own strategies of their own and what Ash's team can learn easily in a short amount of time. They made a plan on how they were going to train the following day prior to the Gym Battle.

* * *

Serena spent her morning heading out into the city, window shopping for dresses. She visited all the stores to find a dress that she liked, but none of the options looked appealing. Correction, she didn't have the heart to try on any of the dresses. All she could think about was her lack of progress towards finding a topic, her upcoming Contest, and how another girl managed to cheer up Ash before she had the chance! Was she the worst friend ever?

Without much of an idea on anything, she returned to the Pokémon Center. She didn't want to bother Ash nor wonder what the blue-headed monster was doing. She found a quiet corner to brush Eevee's fur.

"Eevee?" The Evolution Pokémon looked up at its trainer.

Serena forced a smile. "I'm fine, Eevee."

It did not look convinced. "Vee. Eevee."

Eevee knocked down each of Serena's Pokéballs and releasing everyone. Upon appearing, they gave their trainer a big old hug. Nidoran glared at Eevee's neatly groomed fur. It took the brush in its mouth and stood on its back legs. Ledyba landed on her head while cheering. Cleffa was in Serena's arms.

"Vee!" Eevee barked happily.

Having her Pokémon with her was confronting; however, they wouldn't understand why she was sad. Nor would they be able to give her advice. She appreciated their attempt nonetheless and decided to take out the bag of accessories that Daisy Oak had given her. She decided to let them choose what accessories they wanted to wear.

Ledyba grabbed a little black top hat to wear on its head. Eevee picked out a pink flower to be placed around its right ear. Nidoran also chose a red flower for its left ear. Cleffa tried on different items until it came across a cape. It started to run around with the cape flowing behind. The rest of the Pokémon joined in on all the fun that made Serena smile. It made her happier to see her Pokémon enjoy themselves. The stress of everything else still weighed on her mind.

"There you are, Serena," said Brock.

"Hey," Serena looked up. "Is something wrong?"

Brock sat down next to her while looking at the Pokémon play. "I could ask you that. You know, Ash is worried about you."

Serena sat upright while blinking several times. "W-Why is he worried?"

"Probably because he hadn't seen you all day," he chuckled. "While he might not admit it, I thought I see how you're doing in his steed as Misty isn't letting him off the hook. What's on your mind?" The honey-blonde was reluctant to tell Brock of her problems. "I can understand if you wish to talk to Ash for some things, but know I'm always around if you need someone to listen."

Serena sighed. "Remember how your dad ridiculed Ash and Misty getting on Ash's case for not living up to his father?" The aspiring doctor nodded while allowing her to continue. "After both times Ash was depressed for one reason or another. In both cases, I didn't help him. Miette cheered him up while I baked some cookies. Then Misty and he bonded over their absent fathers. Something, I haven't even done or know about that bothered him. I've been friends with him for over a decade and I can't help but feel like a horrible friend. It makes me wonder if Ash would be better off without me on his journey. It'll probably help me to figure out my research topic. It seems as if he doesn't need me and that I'm a burden."

"Do you consider Ash to be a horrible friend?" Brock asked.

"What? Never! Why would you think that?"

"Because you're doing the same thing he did," he answered. "You're brooding alone and a different person is helping you out instead of him. Perhaps he won't like my meddling, but I do think you both want the best for each other and to be happy."

Serena relaxed, thinking about how Ash fought for them to see the Sensational Sisters perform and how sweet that was of him as in typical fashion, he could have just accepted the deal.

"So what if another person helps him out? You can't always be the person he needs at every moment like he can't be there for every one of yours. Trust me. In my household, I'm not there for everyone, but usually, a different sibling of mine would be."

She never really thought about how a large family such as Brock would have worked. She was an only child and the closest siblings she had were Gary and Leaf.

"I don't think he sees you as a burden and he does need you even if you can't see it. I doubt he would be happy to hear you want to go off on your own. Wasn't there a reason why you two journeyed together?"

Serena recalled the day Ash asked her to journey with him. They just had finished their duties at Professor Oak's lab and they walked home together. They stood in front of her house while looking at the stars that shined brightly. Originally, she thought Ash wanted to travel alone since Gary did.

_"Hard to believe in a few weeks, we'll be out in the world," Serena told Ash with a weak smile. "I'll miss these walks and watching the starry skies with you."_

_Ash had been looking at the stars with a bright smile. Though, it dimmed upon hearing that she would miss these nights. Maybe it dawned on him then. "Man, I never thought about us saying goodbye to each other. What if we drift apart?"_

_"We'll keep in touch and meet up once in a while!" Serena reassured him while being doubtful herself. "Besides, I'll be your number one fan and attend as many Gym Battles and Pokémon Leagues as I can!"_

_The raven-haired boy chuckled. "If you're going to do that then why don't you just travel with me?"_

_Serena blushed. "R-Really? You want us to travel together?"_

_"Why not?" He smiled at her. "Then we get to walk together every day, watch the stars at night, and you'll never have to miss any of my battles. What do you say?"_

Serena hung her head low. Her nose became stiffy as she told Brock how they began traveling together. How could she forget the unsaid promise between them? She was really the worst.

"See, Ash does want you around or else he wouldn't have invited you," Brock remarked.

"Yeah…" Serena wiped away a few tears from her eyes. "I guess you're right. I just needed a reminder."

Brock stood up. "Everyone does once in a while. I'm glad you're staying because having you around has been a lot of fun."

"Thanks, Brock," Serena smiled, feeling better about one situation. "I think I'll be practicing some routings. My Contest is just around the corner after all. Please tell Ash that I'll see him for dinner."

Brock returned to Ash's training session while Serena found a place to practice. Like she promised, she saw Ash for dinner with Brock, Misty, and…Miette. They discussed each other's days while leaving out any upcoming competition talk.

The awaited Gym Battle came quicker than anyone expected. The stadium was packed with people. All of them were excited to see the Sensational Sisters perform along with an exciting battle. Serena, Miette, and Brock were in the special dugout to watch the show. Brock sat between Miette and Serena.

Serena was a mixture of excited and sad. She had waited too long to see a showing, but she always imagined it with Ash by her side as some sort of date. Together they would watch and have a good time. Instead, her best friend was with Misty elsewhere going over last-minute battle plans. Let alone, she had to see it with Miette.

Surrounding the battlefield were Slowpokes. With their psychic powers, they began lifting the water out of the battlefield with the props for everyone to see what's going on at all angles. It appeared the pool was also refilling itself. The TV screens in the stadium also had a broadcasting view of the action. Several water-type Pokémon started to swim into the bubble.

Overtaking the speakers was a narration. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen to a special production from the Sensational Sisters. Tonight, we present to you the _Underwater Ballet!_"

The lights began dimming with spotlights shining all over the middle of the stadium. Swimming up an into the floating water bubble was Violet as the mermaid. She had a pair of goggles on and a breathing device on. She waved and winked at the audience while swimming through the scenery. Once in a while, she would hop out of the water before diving back in.

"There once lived a mermaid in a lagoon and she was friends with many water-type Pokémon," the narrator continued.

Violet from under the water played with the Pokémon ranging from Seaking, Goldeens, and a Seel. They swam around together for a while before Violet took a rest a clamp and pretended to be asleep.

"The mermaid played with the Pokémon day after day. Together they enjoyed songs and dances and frolicked happily before drifting off to sleep. The magical mermaid lived happily until a terrible villain appeared!"

The spotlights and cameras shifted towards the left side of the field where Daisy waved to the crowd. She was in a pirate type of outfit with a pair of goggles on her as well. Beside her was a Cloyster. She placed on a breathing device before hopping into the water and swimming towards the clamp with the Cloyster closely behind it.

The Cloyster started a string of attacks that caused the other water Pokémon to flee. This caused the mermaid to wake up and started to swim away with the pirate giving chase. The audience was in awe as they popped out of the water with the Slowpoke guiding their path around the stadium. Violet winked at the audience while Daisy blew some kisses. No matter how fast Violet seemed to swim, Daisy was right behind her. Upon returning to the center, Violet was cut off by Cloyster.

"But when all hope seemed lost, a charming and totally handsome prince arrived to save the day!"

The cameras shifted once again to Lily who appeared on the opposite side of the pool where Daisy appeared. By her side was a Golduck. Together they hopped into the pool. They engaged with the pirate in a heated battle that eventually made their way to the surface. Daisy and Lily battled one another until Cloyster was unable to continue with Daisy fleeing.

"The mermaid fell in love with the brave and handsome prince. The prince was enthralled by her beauty and fell in love too. Together they lived happily ever after."

Serena was picturing herself as the magical mermaid with Ash being the handsome prince. It made her wish he was with her even more. It was so romantic! Of course, her fun ended with Miette.

"I bet Ash would heroically save me from villains before he would save you," the blue-haired girl laughed.

"Obviously he would save me first before you!" Serena retorted.

Brock sighed. "I think in any event, he would save both of you."

"Who asked you?!" Both the girls shouted.

This trio of people went back into the locker room after getting the okay from Misty. She was able to convince her sisters to meet them. In between the show and battle, they had a half-hour of free time. Inside the locker room were Daisy, Violet, and Lily in stunning sparkling dresses. Ash also walked in with Misty.

"Like that was totally awesome!" Daisy said.

"We were fabulous as always!" Violet added.

Lily high-fived her sisters. "We rock!"

Serena and Miette were stars struck. They were working their way to ask for their autographs until Brock made a move.

The aspiring doctor was kneeling on the ground. "Oh beautiful Daisy, Violet, and Lily, you three are the most beautiful flowers in all of existence. Your grace and beauty stole my heart! Won't you all put me into your next show so I can steal yours!"

Ash, Serena, and Miette couldn't believe Brock's attics.

Daisy, Violet, Lily looked appalled. Daisy was the one who spoke while crossing her arms. "Look, ladies, we have a player who thinks he can enchant us all."

"Totally not our style!" Lily added.

"Talk about gross," Violet stuck her tongue out. "I would rather invite the kid about to fight our mom over you any day."

Brock lowered his head and fell to the side while the Sensational Sisters provided autographs to the girls. They signed some pictures and took a few photos to their delight.

"Serves him right," Misty growled.

"So Ash, are you ready?" Miette asked.

"Of course he's ready! He's been trained by the fourth member of the Sensational Sisters!" Misty placed her hands on her hips and pumped out her chest.

Violet rolled her eyes. "The Sensational Sisters only have three members."

"And a runt," Lily finished.

Misty lowered her head and sloughed. "Give me a break…"

"Good luck, Ash!" Miette said.

Serena stood beside Ash with a smile. "I know you'll do great!"

"Remember your training and you'll do fine!" Brock added.

* * *

Misty escorted Ash into the trainer tunnel, wanting to give him one last pep talk. Everyone in the stadium must have been expecting greatness, including her mother. Only she knew along with his friends that what they're getting was not on the level of Red.

Ash had his eyes closed, breathing in deeply. Either he was mentally preparing himself or battling some sort of demon inside.

"Don't get cold feet on me now," Misty said. "Remember, your battle is with my mom, not the people in the stadium. Who cares what they think about your lineup or battling style? Give it your all and don't second guess too much."

He stared at Misty for a long while before grinning. "I'll win for both of us!"

"I'm holding you to it." She patted him on the shoulder and joined his friends in the locker room before escorting them back to the dugout.

Normally, only the coach of a Trainer may sit in the dugout but they made an exception for his friends as in a way, it was the best seat in the stadium barring water splashing on the glass. To their surprise, there was another man sitting inside already.

He was a bulky man wearing sunglasses indoors and wore an Alolan style shirt. He had a notepad on his lap and a camera hanging from his neck. He appeared to be excited.

"Um, who exactly are you?" Misty asked with her hands upon her hip.

"The name is Scott," he introduced himself and extended an arm. "I'm a friend of your mother's Misty."

Misty raised an eyebrow, never hearing about Scott and his special commendations. "That doesn't explain why you're here."

Scott laughed. "I'm a talent scout. When I heard about Red's son battling your mother, I just had to come and watch. According to your mother, you coached him. Is that true?"

The Water Princess blushed, maybe it was her chance to get noticed! "The kid didn't know his way around a water battlefield so I gave him a few pointers and helped him in the preparation."

"Fascinating, let's see how he does."

Brock sat down next to Scott. The talent scout appeared to have whispered something in his ears. The girls sat at opposite ends of them with Serena having sat next to Misty.

Blondie appeared to be upset for one reason or another. Guess she didn't forgive the Water Princess for her outburst like Ash.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Cerulean Gym! I hope you all enjoyed the special performance by the Sensational Sisters and now onto the main event! Introducing the challenger from Pallet Town, Ash Ketchum!"

Ash walked onto the field looking straight ahead, reaching the trainer box that rose past the rock formation height. The crowd appeared to be cheering for him.

"Let's go, Ash!" Miette shouted.

"Show everyone what you're made of!" Serena joined in.

This was going to be a long battle for the Water Princess.

"You heard right folks, this is the son of the Red Ketchum! Today he's taking on our very own and lovely Rachel Waterflower for the Cascade Badge!"

Appearing from the water was Rachel. Looked like she took some cues from the Sensational Sisters as Slowpoke used their psychic moves to lift her into the air before placing her in the trainer box. She waved and blew kisses to the crowd.

"I'm honored to be facing the son of another legend," she addressed Ash. "Let's see how you do against me."

The battlefield suddenly sunk into the ground, being replaced by a brand new one. Another circular arena appeared with grassy land consuming about a quarter of the field on both sides with the rest being water. At the very center of the field was an island with a palm tree.

Misty bit her lips. What was her mom think she was pulling?

Ash had a similar reaction while holding onto the rail.

"Did you really think I was going to battle you with a field that my daughter knows inside and out?" Rachel flicked her hair back. "Part of the challenge is adapting to new environments and situations. Not like I have much of an advantage either considering this'll be my first time with this battlefield."

The judge explained the standard Gym rules for a three-on-three. "Rachel, please select your first Pokémon."

She kissed her Pokéball before tossing it out. "Seel, make a splash!"

Appearing on the grassland was a seal-like Pokémon with white skin. It clapped its flippers that got the crowd going wild.

Misty couldn't believe her mom's choice. Could she be using a different team than her usual?

Ash checked his Pokédex and frowned, most likely due to it knowing some ice-type moves. That put an entire wrench in their plans. Surprisingly, he still went along with one of them. "Butterfree, I choose you!"

The bug-type fluttered in the air, performing some kind of dance before readying itself for battle.

"Battle begin!"

"Let's see what you learned," Rachel snapped her fingers. "Aqua Jet!"

"Confusion!" Ash commanded.

A veil of water covered the Sea Lion Pokémon as it jetted over the water and towards the flying Pokémon.

Butterfree stopped the water-type dead in its tracks, spinning it around.

"Electroweb!" Ash followed up.

The bug-type unleashed an electrified web that encapsulated Seel, sending it into the water.

"Aqua Ring and Hail!" Rachel calmly ordered.

Seel appeared out of the water with aquatic rings healing some of its energy. It clapped its flippers to summon rain-like clouds with ice pellets falling down. The entire battlefield got colder as a result. Whenever the ice pellet stroke Seel's skin, green energy consumed its body.

Misty narrowed her eyes. "I never would have thought my mom would use stall tactics."

"Considering whose she's up against, I don't blame her," Scott chuckled. "She must be using a team to test how Ash adapts."

"Does she usually use a different team for a Trainer of Ash's skill level?" Serena asked.

Miette slapped her forehead. "All Gym Leaders have different teams to test skill levels."

Brock folded his arms. "Ash needs to think fast or else this battle will turn ugly fast."

Ash growled at the sight. "Poison Powder and Gust!"

The Butterfly Pokémon ascended in the air, releasing purple spores. At the top of its flight, it blew the spores towards the water with Gust.

Seel dove into the water as the poison spores lingered.

"Aqua Jet into Aqua Tail!" Rachel commanded.

Shooting out of the water was Seel with Aqua Jet. Too quick this time as it pushed Butterfree into the air before slamming it towards the ground.

"Confusion to break your fall and then Electroweb!" Ash shouted.

Butterfree slowed down its fall and flew back up, aiming an Electroweb that encapsulated Seel once again.

"Confusion!" Ash followed up.

The Butterfly Pokémon threw Seel at the ground. Butterfree winced in pain due to the falling hail.

"Ice Shard!" Rachel shouted.

"Super Sonic and Poison Powder!" Ash countered.

Seel conjured icicles to throw at Butterfree who had been sending out psychic waves out.

The bug-type was hit by one of the shards, falling down at first before breaking its fall. It continued on with its last command and tried to confuse Seel once again from a different angle. This time it was more successful.

The Sea Lion Pokémon's eyes became narrow as it randomly spat out attacks. First, it used Aqua Jet to gain some air and then launching Ice Shards all over the field.

The Butterfly Pokémon navigated through the bombardment and being able to inflect Seel with the Poison Powder; however, it flew too close to the sun as several Ice Shards hit their mark. Butterfree flopped in the water.

"Butterfree is unable to battle!"

Scott began taking notes of the battle.

"That's not a good start," Serena sighed.

Miette shook her head. "Definitely not when Seel is healing in two different ways."

"Perhaps but Seel is both poisoned and confused," Brock chuckled. "While it might be a huge blow, he at least gave his next Pokémon a fighting chance and Hail should end soon."

Misty wanted to believe that but it was not that simple. Of his remaining Pokémon, Ash should use Pikachu to finish off Seel and wait out the Hail. Then maybe Pidgeotto could beat the next or tire it out. Oh, what was she thinking? This position was not ideal at all.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed that chapter and let me know some of your thoughts.**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: Why did I create Rachel? **

**Well, I wanted Misty to come with the team so I decided to explore other options in having a Gym Leader battle.I also didn't believe Lily, Violet, and Daisy would have been right either. I hope you enjoyed my decision. I based the character off of a swim coach type of person.**

**Q: Why is Misty coaching Ash?**

**I recalled in the Johto League that she was his coach. We didn't see any of that so I thought it would be appropriate here. Keep in mind, that Ash is still learning his battling style and skills that goes into being a competitor.**

**Q: What's with the illogical business practices?**

**I wanted to have Ash meet Misty outside of the Pokemon Center. **


	10. Waterflowers of Cerulean City Part 2

**Chapter 10: Waterflowers of Cerulean City Part 2**

"How disappointing," Rachel said. "Though it was to be expected given Seel's healing capabilities. I commend you on setting up for your next Pokémon. Tell me, who came up with that strategy?"

"Your daughter," Ash replied, returning his Pokémon. "She thought Butterfree would make a good scout and setter given what it knew." Though, what was he going to do now? His opponent has been surprising him at every turn since the start of the match.

Rachel glanced over by the dugout. "I see. Did she also tell you of the Pokémon that I typically use for this battle? You looked surprised to see a Seel."

Ash frowned while nodding. All of their hard work appeared to be wasted.

"If I wanted to just test your skills, I would have used my typical team, but as you're aware this is a special battle to determine if she's worthy to be my Trainee. So show me what you two have accomplished!"

He gripped onto his next Pokeball, recalling his promise that he made with Misty. No matter the challenge, he must do it for the both of them. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

The Bird Pokémon soared in a circle around the battlefield. The ice pellets made it angry.

"Battle begin!"

"Gust and Feather Dance!" Ash commanded.

Pidgeotto flapped its wings, unleashing strong winds and a few of its feathers.

Rachel sighed. "Ice Shard!"

Seel fired off icicles in random directions before being blown back into the water with feathers covering it and lowering its attacking capabilities.

The Bird Pokemon ascended to avoid the attacks.

"Aqua Jet!" Rachel commanded.

Seel popped out of the water, spiraling out of control and smacking into the palm tree, bashing its head repeatedly. Purple energy consumed its body in tandem with the Aqua Rings and Ice Body ability.

"Quick Attack into Wing Attack!" Ash hollered.

"Headbutt!" Rachel countered.

Pidgeotto dove down, using gravity to up its speed and headed straight towards the Sea Lion Pokémon.

Despite having its back turned and power decreased, Seel managed to score a direct hit, leading with its horn.

"Aqua Jet into Aqua Tail!"

Following up that attack, Seel jetted back into the air wildly.

Pidgeotto climbed high with Seel still persisting.

"Twister!" Ash yelled.

The Bird Pokémon turned around to fire a cyclone of wind, knocking Seel back into the water.

The Sea Lion Pokémon popped back up on the surface, seemingly free of its confusion.

"Stay underwater!" Rachel narrowed her eyes.

"Oh no, you don't!" Ash stated. "Pidgeotto eye its movement and use Twister into the water!"

Seel dove into the water.

Pidgeotto flew closer to the water and produced a cyclone perpendicularly to the water, creating a whirlpool.

The currents forced Seel to pop out just like he thought.

"Aerial Ace!" Ash commanded.

Before Seel was able to fall back into the water, Pidgeotto slammed its peak into it with streaks of white light flying off it.

Seel rolled onto the grassland on Rachel's side. The hail soon ended as well.

"Seel is unable to battle!"

Ash let out a sigh of relief. He had no idea how much longer Pidgeotto would have enjoyed flying in Hail. If he had lost it too, Pikachu would have to be perfect. "Great work, Pidgeotto!"

"Pidgeotto!" The Bird Pokémon responded with a battle cry.

"Pikachu!" The Mouse Pokémon cheered.

Rachel returned her Pokémon. "I doubt my daughter was responsible for that victory."

"Actually, she was the one who told me of the Feather Dance and Gust combo," Ash corrected. "And she's the one who showed me of a similar technique and I thought the inverse would have been a way to draw out water-types."

"Really?" The Gym Leader glanced at the dugout once again. "Impressive that you managed to take a technique and make it your own in a short time; however, your execution was flawed. I know I didn't teach my daughter to lower the attacking power of a confused Pokémon. Seel hung in there longer than you would have liked." With a kiss and toss, she sent out her next Pokémon. "Poliwhirl, make it rain!"

Materializing was a blue spherical body with budging eyes. It had a swirl on its belly and stood on two legs. It had arms with a pair of hands that resemble white gloves.

Ash scanned it. _Poliwhirl, the Tadpole Pokémon and the evolved form of Poliwag. It's capable of living underwater or on the surface. It sweats to keep its body slimy when out of the water._

He learned that Poliwhirl could have the Water Absorb, Damp, or Swift Swim ability. Given Swift Swim was rare, he ruled that out. Same with Damp as it would be silly to have a specific counter to Self-Destruct. That let with Water Absorb which he didn't need to worry about.

Considering Pidgeotto had taken damage, he recalled it to give it some rest. Maybe it was against Misty's strategy but everything was out the window when Butterfree was taken out. "Pikachu, I choose you!"

The Electric Mouse hopped down from the platform and onto the field, sparks flying. The crowd cheered at how adorable it looked.

"Battle begin!"

"Belly Drum!" Rachel began.

"Hit it with Electro Ball, quick!" Ash shouted.

Poliwhirl pounded its belly lie a drum, maxing out its attacking power at the cost of damaging itself.

Pikachu ran to the side to get a better vantage point to send an Electro Ball sailing.

"Ice Punch!" Rachel calmly ordered.

Ice energy covered the Tadpole's Pokémon's fists and stared down the electric attack. With one punch, it eliminated the attack without blinking an eye. Some of the grass blades around its feet were covered in frost.

Ash was stunned by its power. Guess he better keep things at a distance. "Thunderbolt!"

"Rain Dance!" Rachel countered.

The Mouse Pokémon used its newly learned move, curtsey from learning from Starmie. The bolt of lightning crawled its way through the air.

Poliwhirl raised its arms in the air, conjuring rainclouds to drench the entire field. In a blink of an eye, it dashed out of the way of the electrical attack and made its way to the pool of water.

"No way," Ash held onto the railing, recognizing the Swift Swim ability. "Double Team!"

Copies of Pikachu appeared all over his side of the field.

"Surf!" Rachel laughed.

The Tadpole Pokémon conjured a giant wave that washed over the entire grassland, wiping away all of the Pikachu copies, and causing the Mouse Pokémon to be brushed up against a small hit.

"Ice Punch!" The Gym Leader followed up.

Ash's eyes widened. "JUMP!"

With one punch of its icy fist, the water on the grassland froze with Pikachu failing to jump in time. Its fur froze over, acting as a prison as it struggled to break free.

"End this with Waterfall!" Rachel commanded.

Ash closed his eyes, shuffling between everything that Misty and him came up with, but none of them prepared him for this situation. Then he recalled Poliwhirl's attack. "Iron Tail on the ground!"

Pikachu's tail was encased in steel, shattering the ice to give it free movement.

Too late. Poliwhirl grabbed ahold of Pikachu with water, swirling around them.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted quickly.

Pikachu managed to zap its opponent, canceling out its previous attack.

"Quick Attack!" Ash followed up.

Pikachu bashed Poliwhirl in the stomach, bring it down.

"Poliwhirl is unable to battle!"

Ash wanted to relax but that would have been foolish of him. He might have gotten in the lead, but both of his Pokémon were exhausted from battle. He was going to have to get creative if he still wanted a chance to win.

"Return!" He cried out to Pikachu. He couldn't imagine how cold it must be down there compared to where he was standing. His little buddy returned to the platform, shaking. "Pidgeotto, your turn again!"

The Bird Pokémon flew in place, looking back at its trainer. Something told him that it didn't appreciate flying in weathered conditions.

Rachel recalled her Pokémon with her eyes closed. "Impressive quick thinking there. You used my own technique against me to break Pikachu free."

"It seemed like the only option since Pikachu had problems moving," Ash remarked.

"Still, that victory belongs to you and you alone," the Gym Leader smiled. "Let's see if that continues! Tentacruel, make a splash!"

Appearing in the water was a jellyfish-like Pokémon. It was large and had many tentacles at its disposal. It seemed that it enjoyed the rain. The crowd went wild.

Ash scanned it. _Tentacruel, the Jellyfish Pokémon and the evolved form of Tentacool. The tentacles are normally kept short. On hunts, they are extended to ensnare and immobilize prey. _

The Jellyfish Pokémon could have the Clear Body, Liquid Ooze, or the Rain Dish ability. If he had a guess, he would say it had the Liquid Ooze ability to combat against grass-types.

"Battle begin!"

"Quick Attack into Wing Attack!" Ash commanded.

"Get into the water and Poison Jab!" Rachel calmly ordered.

Tentacruel dove underwater as Pidgeotto glided on top of the water. Soon after, tentacles popped out of the water.

Pidgeotto juked all that it could before getting smacked by one in its stomach.

"Bubble Beam!" Rachel shouted.

"Twister and Feather Dance!" Ash countered.

The Jellyfish Pokémon popped out of the water, launching a series of bubbles into the air.

Pidgeotto regained its balance, moving around to avoid the bubbles, and find an opening. The Bird Pokémon timed its move in between volleys.

Tentacruel was blasted from behind. As rain fell upon it, green energy healed its body.

Ash held onto the railing with frustration. "You got to be kidding me. All of your Pokémon have Hidden Abilities?"

The Gym Leader flicked her hair. "A Pokémon lineup is more than just coming up with the best possible type matchups. It's about how your team synergizes with one another with their moves and ability. Rain Dance empowers all of my water-types and cancels out Hail if I need it. Swift Swim catches many opponents like yourself off guard. Rain Dish and Ice Body ensures that all I need to do is outlast your Pokémon. This lineup of mine is highly flexible and challenging to overcome. So, what are you going to do?"

On the one hand, he was happy to learn of another way to unlock Pokémon's full potential. On the other hand, he had no idea how he was going to overcome a wall with his remaining Pokémon. Tentacruel were known for being able to take special moves so Pidgeotto was the right choice to stay in.

"We're going to hit you hard and fast!" He declared. "Quick Attack into Aerial Ace!"

Rachel folded her arms. "I see you didn't learn from last time. Poison Jab!"

Pidgeotto dashed towards the Jellyfish Pokémon with all of its speed.

Tentacruel ducked underwater again with tentacles sprouting out of the water. One of them stroke Pidgeotto on the stomach again, poisoning it in the process.

Ash gritted his teeth, unsure what he could do now. If he went in close then Tentacruel would just duck underwater. He guessed he needed to do what he could. "Twister and Feather Dance!"

"Confuse Ray and Wrap!" Rachel countered.

Pidgeotto created a series of cyclones with some of its feathers.

Tentacruel emitted a rainbow color of lights from its red sacs.

The Bird Pokemon managed to evade it for some time while continuing its attacks that the Jellyfish Pokémon braved; however, it eventually stopped, confused about what was happening.

Tentacruel took the opportunity for one of its tentacles to suck the living air from Pidgeotto.

"Return!" Ash aimed his Pokéball, but Tentacruel kept moving it around for a clear shot.

"Rapid Spin!" Rachel hollered.

The Jellyfish Pokémon swirled in the water at a fast pace and chucking Pidgeotto against a hill.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!"

Ash sighed, returning his Pokémon and telling what an amazing job it did. At the very least, Tentacruel's physical attacks wouldn't do much against Pikachu, but it was still raining. Any water move would be devastating if they hit.

The crowd appeared to be enjoying the battle even if some of his decisions were not optimal. He looked over by the dugout to look at his friends where a stranger sat next to them, appeared to be taking some notes.

Miette had her Pikachu in her arms, appeared to be invested in the battle. He couldn't hear a single word that she was saying, but he figured it was encouragement.

Similarly with Brock, raising a fist in the air.

Serena locked eyes with him, giving him a nod. No matter what, he could always count on her support.

Misty had her face buried in her legs. Had she given up on him? That's not what a coach was supposed to do. At this time, she should stop the match to go over some last-minute strategy changes. Even if Tentacruel would be more refreshed, he would appreciate some guidance on dealing with a special tank.

He guessed he was on his own in fulfilling both dreams as he twisted his cap around, looking at his little buddy. "Pikachu, it's just me and you!"

Pikachu nodded, rushing back onto the field. The arena had warmed up in the passing time; though, it was not saying much with the rain.

Rachel glanced over by the dugout once again and closed her eyes. "Looks like this is your last chance to earn yourself a Cascade Badge. Can you do this alone or perhaps will someone help you?"

"As long as Pikachu is by my side, I'm never alone!" Ash declared.

"Then let's test the limit of your bond!" Rachel grinned.

"Battle begin!"

Ash took a deep breath as he didn't want to rush into any poor decisions. "Double Team into Quick Attack!"

"Bubble Beam and shoot them all down!" Rachel countered.

Copies of Pikachu appeared on the field.

Tentacruel blasted them all down except for the real one, dashing towards the water.

"Iron Tail!" Ash commanded.

"Poison Jab!" Rachel ordered.

Tentacles rose from the water, trying to ensnare Pikachu.

The Electric Mouse used its tail to defect them, inching its way closer to Tentacruel's head to land a hit.

"Confuse Ray!" Rachel yelled.

"Into the water!"

Pikachu dove into the water, avoiding Confuse Ray.

"Wrap and Rapid Spin!" Rachel snapped her fingers.

The Jellyfish Pokémon spun around with Pikachu in tow, not allowing the Mouse Pokémon to get any air.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted at the top of his lungs.

Tentacruel was enveloped in a shocking light, tossing Pikachu against the Palm Tree.

"Poison Jab!" Rachel commanded.

"Climb the tree and Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu shook off its daze and climbed the tree just in time to avoid the first round of Poison Jabs. It fired off electrical charges.

Tentacruel was initially scared off, about to dive in the water when it was zapped.

"Shake the tree and Bubble Beam!" Rachel hollered.

The Jellyfish Pokémon fought through the pain to shake the tree.

Pikachu lost its footing, falling down, only to be met by a bombardment of bubbles. By some miracle, Pikachu stood up, panting.

Ash growled, knowing his Pokémon wouldn't be able to take much more. He had hope for Tentacruel to get paralyzed so Electro Ball would do max damage. The rain let up which was his only sigh for good news. The other was he was not out of this competition yet and still had a chance, but every move mattered from this point forward.

"End of the road," the Gym Leader closed her eyes. "Poison Jab!"

Not if he could help it. "Double Team!"

Copies of Pikachu appeared all over the field this time.

The Jellyfish Pokémon extended all of its tentacles out to make the nearest ones vanish.

"Electro Ball!" Ash hollered.

Rachel shook her head. "You're only delaying the inevitable. Duck and Bubble Beam!"

The copies of Pikachu vanished, revealing the real one that sent an Electro Ball soaring across the field.

Tentacruel ducked and quickly popping back up, firing bubbles at the Mouse Pokémon.

"Double Team and Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted the first thing that came to mind.

Pikachu summoned more copies of itself. Appearing near the shore, the Electric Mouse zapped the Jellyfish Pokémon once again. Tentacruel looked worse for wear.

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "Wrap and Rapid Spin!"

A tentacle wrapped itself around Pikachu, squeezing it with all of its might. Then it spun around in the water.

"THUNDERBOLT!" Ash shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping that Pikachu was able to pull a miracle.

Somehow, Pikachu managed to zap Tentacruel in a blinding light.

Tentacruel slowed down, chucking the Electric Mouse to the grassland while it came to a halt, floating in the water.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" The judge declared. "This match is a tie!"

An empty feeling washed over the aspiring Pokémon Master. In the event of a tie, the Gym Leader decided if he was worthy of a badge. Part of him wanted to believe that he had earned one of his own merits, but considering their deal, he was not sure if he would be awarded.

Without wasting any time, he hopped down onto the battlefield to pick up his MVP of the match. He coddled in his arms, thanking it for an awesome battle. He then met Rachel in front of the dugout.

The crowd cheered as if they were happy with the result.

Rachel glanced over the dugout once again, seeing Misty was astonished as if she couldn't believe he ended the battle in a tie. The Gym Leader clapped for Ash. "I never would have imagined this battle ended in a draw. I admire your will to continue even when all was hopeless in the fight. A true making of a talented Trainer."

Ash rubbed the back of his neck. "My motto has always been never giving up until it's over. My Pokémon worked too hard for me to give up on them." He looked towards the titled floor. "So…did I qualify for a badge?"

The crowd silenced themselves, leaving the entire stadium in awkward silence.

Rachel looked at Ash before smiling and taking out a raindrop shaped pin. "I would be a fool not to say you've earned yourself a badge. Besides your incredible will to never give up, you earned this badge for adapting your strategies on the fly and quick thinking to get out of sticky situations. It takes great improvising skills and trust overcome even the greatest of strategies. Congratulations, I hereby award you with the Cascade Badge!"

He took the badge in the palm of his hand and held it high in the air. "Alright! I just earned myself the Cascade Badge!" The crowd went wild and for the first time, he didn't mind it.

Pikachu weakly pumped a paw in the air. "Pi-Pikachu!"

He received earnings from the league and plenty of messages from his friends and family.

_Leaf: Wonderful! Keep up the good work!_

_Gary: Congrats on earning yourself a pity badge. I knew you couldn't beat a real Gym Leader. _

He decided to ignore the message while celebrating his accomplishment with his friends.

* * *

Misty joined her mother in her office along with Ash and his friends. After waving to the crowd, Rachel decided some privacy would be nice with the topic she wanted to talk about. All Misty knew was her mother was a woman of her word. She would only follow through with the deal had Ash officially won. Instead, it was all a tie.

Scout decided to bail and miss the opportunity to meet Ash. Misty guessed that his performance was not highly impressive despite overcoming some odds to get a badge.

"Why are we wasting their time?" Misty lowered her head. "Ash didn't win so I guess I'll have to find another way to obtain my dreams."

Her mother giggled while shaking her head. "First of all, I never said I wouldn't accept you in event of a draw nor reject you if he had lost."

The orange-haired beauty had her mouth wide open. "Does that mean I'm your Trainee?"

Rachel shook her head, with a wicked smile. Did she have to be so cruel? "While I'm impressed with the progress you've made, you still have a lot to learn in terms of what it means to be a Gym Leader."

"I'm confused," Serena sighed. "Why isn't she qualified? She did coach Ash and developed some strategies given the time table you put on them."

Brock folded his arms. "Unfortunately, the battle Rachel put Ash through was more difficult than normal because she wanted her to make some adjustments with Ash."

"What do you mean by that?" Misty blinked.

"He means part of a Gym Leader's duty is to help their challengers overcome obstacles," her mother answered. "Being a Gym Leader does not always mean you keep winning battles until you're the very best. It's about mentorship as well as learning."

Misty sighed. It all seemed so simple, yet complicated at the same time.

"You don't know the true meaning of a Gym Leader," her mother continued. "That's why you'll never qualify for anyone's Trainee for long. Until you learn that important lesson, I suggest you travel with Ash."

The raven-haired kid blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Why would I want to travel with him?" Misty added.

Rachel placed a hand on Misty's shoulder. "Because I believe you can learn a lot from one another. Consider coaching him to the Regional League as part of your training to be my Trainee."

"Y-You really mean it?" Tears formed around her eyes.

"You know I wouldn't lie to you," her mother assured her. "If you manage to do that, then we'll have a full battle to see how far you've come." She turned to Ash. "Assuming you wouldn't mind having my daughter as your coach."

Misty faced him. "Remember our promise to one another in fulfilling goals?"

Ash nodded with a smile. "Of course." He pumped a fist. "I'll learn your family secrets for when I get a water-type!"

"Be ready because I'm going to get you in tip-top shape!" Misty folded her arms.

Ash appeared to be nervous about what that supposed to mean.

Brock placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she's not too out of line, especially with the Pokémon."

"Make me proud," Rachel hugged Misty.

The beauty returned the hug. She was excited to train up the next legend.

* * *

Serena was in the back of the group with Ash leading the way back to the Pokémon Center. Miette had been hyping up every single one of his battles with Brock informing the handsome Trainer of her reactions. She would always try to make Serena's reactions worse than they were actually.

In the final round, Miette had all but given up while Serena believed Ash would find away. Just like always, he never gave up and it paid off.

On the flip side of his victory, she was disgusted with the aftermath and adding another person to their group. It had been one thing for Brock to join them, but he was at least nice to everyone from start to finish. It took Ash taking away Misty's chance to become a Trainee for her to realize that being a jerk wasn't going to get her anywhere.

Of course, that's only half the problem. Her best friend had to make a promise in helping one another to fulfill their goals. What was he thinking? As if people weren't judging him based on Gary and his father already. Urgh…Why did he have to be such a nice guy?

The honey-blonde stayed mostly quiet when they entered the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy waved her down so she approached the front desk. There, the nurse handed her a package. It was from her mother.

She rushed upstairs to her room to open it up. Inside was a beautiful red and pink dress with a big red bow around the chest. It came with leggings and a choker. Without wasting any more time, she called her mother.

"I see Dragonite Express has done it again," her mother chuckled. "Well? What do you think?"

"I love it!" Serena exclaimed, twirling around with her phone raised high. "But how did you know I needed a dress?"

Grace giggled. "Let's just say a little birdie told me."

That had to have been Ash. Her feelings of his recent choices vanished and replaced with admiration. He had always known how to be a great friend. She still needed to find a way to properly repay him for everything he had done for her so far on this journey.

"Before I lose you to your dreams, I have to say that Delia handcrafted the dress for you because you enjoyed her sense of fashion," her mother broke the silence. "She spent many waking hours making it as soon as possible so when you have the time, give her a call before your big debut."

"I will!" She nodded.

Grace smirked. "Now go for broke tomorrow and make me proud."

"Promise!" Serena smiled while daydreaming about her debut. It was going to be a lot of fun!

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts.**

**Next Time: Contest Showtime! (Serena's Debut)**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: Why am having Misty be Ash official coach?**

**Listen, this is the direction I want to take Misty. There's more to being a coach outside of the battle. In a real competition, the people who are most prepared, typically end up winning a big competition. There's a lot of skills to it all.**


	11. Contest Showtime!

**Chapter 11: Contest Showtime!**

Serena scowled at the sight of her best friend and his Pokémon running laps around the battlefield of the Pokémon Center at six in the morning. Her arms were folded with a finger tapping on her left bicep. The water-type drama queen probably woke up half the building with her screaming and yelling.

Bad enough Ash had to endure her wrath for one battle, but enduring at least six others seemed like torture that Serena couldn't watch. Angrily, she closed the drapes and marched off to take a long, relaxing shower. Still, the honey-blonde couldn't shake off what she had seen on the battlefield so her shower was cut short.

She journeyed to the cafeteria with Eevee. Surprisingly, there were many people already eating alongside their Pokémon. The majority appeared to be women compared to men. It baffled her as to why they were all up at six-thirty in the morning. Nonetheless, she browsed through the selection of food and picked out some specific flavors of Pokémon food as well as a fruit salad for herself and found a circular table.

Her team ate the food around the table. Eevee and Nidoran were quieter than usual. Ledyba pretended to eat slowly when it secretly scarfed down its food. Cleffa sat on the table eating happily as Serena browsed through her phone for the latest news.

The only piece of news that caught her eye was Aria winning her second Contest in the Galar Region. The Kalos Queen did an interview segment afterward with a reporter that Serena viewed.

_"How does it feel to win your seventh Contest in a row?" The reporter asked._

_"Wonderful, but I didn't do it alone," Aria winked to the camera. "I have my awesome Pokémon to thank for their exceptional hard work. They deserve a lot of the credit."_

_The reporter laughed. "Spoken like a true Pokémon lover. You've inspired an entirely new generation of Coordinators. What advice do you have for them, especially rookies?"_

_"Follow your dreams!" The Coordinator said with a big smile. "No matter what they may be. Don't be afraid of the challenge, roads, and obstacles you need to take to ensure you accomplish them."_

Serena paused the video, placing her fork down onto the plate, and sighing over the advice. Not that it was bad, but rather it didn't help her. How could it help her when she didn't have a greater goal in mind?

Being on a journey had been wonderful as she had gotten a chance to see new places and be on an adventure with Ash. Compared to him, he wanted to be on a journey to help fulfill his dream of being a Pokémon Master. Gary went on one to become Champion and Leaf went on hers to become a Professor. Brock was trying to fulfill his dream of being a Pokémon Doctor through being on a journey with them. Even loudmouth was fulfilling her dreams by helping Ash.

Aside from the nightmarish first day and Mt. Moon, traveling with Ash had been some of the best moments in her life. Sure, she was going to be participating in a Contest to make Eevee happy and fulfill a hidden desire but what was she going to do beyond her first Contest?

Miette pulled up a chair, leaning into the table with an elbow and her head resting upon a hand. Her eyes demanded attention as she eyed the honey-blonde.

"I'm quite surprised to see you awake," the Kalos native giggled. "Looks like you're a Coordinator after all."

Serena took a deep breath, lifting her fork to take a bite of her food. "What do you want?"

Miette glanced over Serena's Pokémon. "Oh, nothing. I just wanted to be entertained until the Contest. I can't concentrate on my craft with the water-type drama queen outside with Ash. Say, don't you agree that he deserves better for a coach? Not that he needs one if he did most of the hard work in that battle."

"While I happen to agree, it's his call if he wants to suffer while helping that witched woman to become a Trainee," Serena retorted. "Besides, don't pretend to care about him when all you can do is eye him like candy."

The Seasoned Coordinator scoffed. "What makes you think all I see is a hunk? Even you have to admit, he's handsome beyond most people you meet around the world."

Serena's cheeks flushed while she played with her food.

Miette shook her head. "He's passionate, caring, and kind. Who wouldn't fall for his charms? Isn't that why you're into him?"

"He's just my friend," Serena whispered and tightening her grip on her fork. "I like him as my friend for those reasons and I rather not see him get hurt by people who are only into him because of his fame by name or his looks. He deserves much better."

"Keep telling yourself that." Miette lean backed while drawing circles on the table with a finger. "You're not going to get anywhere by just being the girl next door. Men like him need a neon sign with fireworks to get any sort of clue. Obviously, he's not interested in you or else why hasn't he asked you on a date yet?"

Steam popped from Serena's ears. "Like you're doing any better."

Miette laughed followed by a smirk. "I've already kissed him on the cheek. I still remember the flustered look in your face while waving goodbye. That's further than anything you have gotten to in your time knowing him. If that orange blob hasn't been hogging his time, I could have easily gotten him to be mine."

Serena pounded the table and stood up, pushing her chair away. "In your dreams!" People around here quieted down and looked at him. The honey-blonde quickly pulled in her chair, pretending her outburst didn't happen; however, she could still feel others giving her looks.

"Bravo!" Miette mockingly clapped. "I hope you manage to embarrass yourself in today's Contest like that. Then Ash will never want to be associated with a loser like you."

As if Ash would ever abandon her for such a shallow reason. Serena could never imagine abandoning him if he had embarrassed himself in a Gym Battle.

"Cleffa!" The Star Shape Pokémon wailed before Serena could provide a counterargument. It hopped into her lap with a stream of tears coming from its eyes.

Serena shifted gears, worried about why her Pokémon was crying. She lifted her legs up and down while gently petting its back. "What's wrong?"

"Cleffa!" It continued to cry.

Miette stood up with a chuckle. "Your outburst must have startled it. Most baby Pokémon are sensitive to sound. If you can't even take care of your Pokémon, how do you expect to take care of Ash?"

Serena pouted while rocking Cleffa. "Like taking care of Pokémon equates to being in a relationship with a human."

"There are some similarities if your brain is creative enough to see," Miette smirked. "Don't you dare leave here without me." She turned around with a small wave.

The honey-blonde did everything that came to mind to calm Cleffa down. Despite her best efforts, it continued to cry. When Serena was about to give up and rush towards the front desk, she heard a tapping of a beat followed by a man's voice, singing in a sweet, lullaby tone.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are!"

With each word being uttered, Cleffa stopped crying to listen. When the song was over, it began laughing. Why didn't she think of a song? She hated to admit that Miette was right about some similarities.

Turning around, she saw a man in a stylish, fancy white suit. He had dark blue hair, round glasses, and a violet scarf around his neck. In his right hand, he had a baton like an orchestra conductor. His entire appearance looked familiar to her. Several people around him clapped with him giving a bow.

"Uh, thank you," Serena uttered.

The man straightened himself with a smile. "Not a problem. The power of music can have all sorts of wonderful effects on Pokémon. I figured since Cleffa is associated with stars, it might like a song about them."

"Cleffa!" It wagged its stubby little arms.

"Looks like you're right…um…"

He extended his hand. "I'm Clark. And you are?"

Serena stood up with Cleffa wrapped around one of her arms to shake the hand with the other. "Serena. It's nice to meet you."

Clark guided her hand and kissed it. "The pleasure is all mine."

The honey-blonde quickly retracted her hand, embarrassed by the gestured. Sure, it was sweet but she wasn't interested in a stranger. Every romantic gesture that anyone could image, she had imagined them with Ash. Now there's one less gesture he could do. Her head was in pain so she sat back down on the chair, rubbing her head.

"Are you alright?" Clark asked with a hint of concern.

"Just fine," she lied. "I think I stood up too fast a moment ago."

Clark closed his eyes, nodding slowly. He placed his baton in his pocket. "In any case, I'm sure the people here can now enjoy their meals in peace and I'm glad Cleffa seems to be doing well. I have to get going, but I hope we get to see one another later on."

"Me too," Serena grinned, curious about his amazing singing skills.

After breakfast, she headed to her room to pack what she needed: her dress, makeup, and accessories. She tripled checked everything before heading down to the lobby where Brock and Misty stood near one another with Ash sitting down on a couch. His head faced upward, catching his breath.

Poor Ash. He must be tired from his unnecessary workout. Now, he might dose off in the middle of her performance. If only Misty was someone different.

If it wasn't already bad for Misty to have stirred her sleep, she wore poor Ash down that he might sleep during Serena's performance.

"Morning, Serena," Brock said. "Did you just get up?"

She shook her head while leering at Misty. "Thanks to a certain coach, I've been up since Ash was running across the field."

Misty adjusted her sunglasses. "What did you expect? That's how my mom trained me when I expressed interest in battles."

"That maybe you'll have some common decency to not wake up half the building with your yelling and screaming," Serena stated. "Some people need their beauty sleep and that includes Ash."

Misty crossed her arms. "Waking up early to train is a sign of an upcoming champion or Pokémon Master in his case. Besides, I don't see how Ash waking up early should make you mad."

Ash leaned in while sighing. "Sorry, Serena. I know today is an important day for you and Eevee. Next time, we'll find a different place to train. Right, Misty?"

"Whatever," Misty shrugged.

Serena would be surprised if Misty lasted being Ash's coach for more than a Gym or two. She barely got him through the Cerulean Gym after all.

Brock scratched his head. "Speaking of the important day, are you ready for your first Contest?"

The honey-blonde nodded. "Ready as I will ever be. I just hope the category is one where I can show off Eevee. Regardless, I plan on doing my best!"

"Vee!" The Evolution Pokémon wagged its tail.

"That's the spirit," Brock said.

"As your number one fan, I'll be cheering for you the loudest!" Ash exclaimed.

Miette suddenly sat by Ash. "Oh? Won't you be my number one fan too?"

Serena couldn't believe that girl just appeared out of nowhere. Let alone she just flat up asked Ash to root for her. The honey-blonde's body stiffened with her hands forming fists. She wants to meet Miette in the second round just to humiliate her in front of a crowd.

"Uh…" Ash frowned while scratching his head. "I'll definitely wish you the best, but I already decided that'll be Serena's number one fan. Sorry."

Serena's heart melted. She couldn't believe Ash just stood his grounds for her. Her body relaxed as she stared in admiration.

Miette frowned before glancing at Serena. "I suppose I'll have to change your mind somehow. Beating Sugar Cookie should do the trick."

"The only person whose going down is you!" Serena stated.

Misty and Brock looked at one another. They did subtle gestures to one another while Ash rubbed the temples on his forehead. It looked like he wanted to say something when the PA system called for his name.

"Ash Ketchum, please pick up your Pokémon at the front desk," the person said.

Ash rose from his seat and did a series of little stretches before heading to the front desk. When he returned, Pikachu was on his shoulder that prompted Miette's Pikachu to pop out of its ball. Ash's Pikachu hopped down to converse with Miette's Pikachu. Then Eevee joined in. It did not take very long before Eevee put Ash's Pikachu under its spell.

"Seriously?" Miette pouted. "When are you going to have a serious talk with your Eevee that using Attract on a Pokémon isn't true love?"

"Whenever your Pikachu stops it too," Serena crossed her arms.

Misty sighed. "You might want to double-check your facts because clearly, only Eevee is doing the horrible act. Poor Pikachu."

Serena looked down to see Miette's Pikachu just glaring. It was not moving an inch nor appeared to have any intentions on using Attract. The honey-blonde didn't understand how Miette was able to get her Pikachu to stop while Serena had a hard time making Eevee stop.

"Humph, it goes to show you how I'm the better Coordinator than you," Miette smirked.

Serena sighed. "We'll see at the Contest."

The group followed Misty through the city. Serena and Miette were on opposite sides of Ash while Brock was next to Misty. They arrived at a park-like area with playgrounds and beautiful gardens surrounding different pathways. In the center of the area was a large circular building with a huge sign saying 'Contest Hall'. Lots of people were gathered outside at the different food trucks and stands.

Upon entering the building, Serena was in awe. She had no idea there were so many shops inside of different accessories and clothing options. If she had some time, she wanted to browse through the selections.

Just before she was going to split up from Ash and friends, the honey-blonde girl released Cleffa. Coyly, she asked, "Hey Ash, can you watch Cleffa for me? I just know it'll enjoy seeing all the different performances." She did not intend on using Cleffa considering it hardly knew many moves to make great combinations from. It also had less time to prepare compared to Eevee, Ledyba, and Nidoran.

Ash held the Star Shape Pokémon. "You bet! Good luck out there. I know you'll be amazing."

"Cleffa!" It cheered happily.

Brock provided a thumbs up. "Remember that it's important to have fun too."

Misty nodded. "The pressure is on everyone else considering this will be your debut. Good luck."

Serena beamed and surprised at Misty's comment. "Thanks, everyone! I'll do my best!"

"Doing your best might not be enough," Miette chuckled.

Serena ignored the comment to follow the Kalos native to the front desk while Ash, Brock, and Misty went to find some seats. After showing their Contest Passes, they were directed backstage. The first stop was at the changing stalls so they could change into their performance dresses. Serena wore the dress Delia had created for her while Miette wore a sea-blue ball gown. After that, they went to an area full of mirrors to do some light makeup and their hair. Serena had her hair up in a high ponytail while Miette added a couple of red ribbons to the side.

The girls then met up in the large waiting room that was packed full of people and Pokémon alike. Many Coordinators were grooming their Pokémon while others were waiting impatiently and staring at the multiple flat screens. Serena checked her phone to see when she was going to be performed. It showed the number 50. Since she had some time, she decided to find a quiet spot to brush Eevee's tail. Miette joined her in brushing her Pikachu's fur. The two had a silent staring contest until the start of the competition.

On the TV screens, it displayed the stage with spotlights shining down upon a woman. She had apricot-colored hair with a little blue hat, crop top, and skirt and she carried a microphone in hand.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the following Pokémon Contest in Cerulean City! I'm your master of ceremonies, Lillian Meridian." The audience applauded and cheered. "Joining me today is our panel of judges!" Spotlights shine down upon three people behind a desk. "Our first judge is Mr. Contesta!"

A middle-aged man waved to the crowd in a red blaze and black bowtie. "It's great to be back here in the beautiful sea-side city. I can't wait for what Cerulean City has in store for us this year."

"Next up is Mr. Sukizo!" Lillian introduced.

He was a bald man in a business suit. "It's simply remarkable to see a record-breaking amount of participants today."

"Lastly, it's an honor to have Athena Sham!" Lillian said. "Famously known for coverage of different Contests."

Athena was a woman with crimson hair and huge round glasses. She wore a beautiful pink dress. "Unfortunately, Dr. Joy suddenly received many injured Pokémon. She's working aimlessly to get them back into perfect health. Let's pray for them to have a speedy recovery."

"Indeed, let's pray that Dr. Joy's patients will recovery!" Lillian said with everyone in the audience and backstage quieting down to do so. When the moment for silent prayer was over, the MC presented a blue ribbon for everyone to see. "Without further ado, in today's Contest, Coordinators will be squaring off to earn themselves the Cerulean Ribbon!"

The crowd cheered and looked in awe. Serena found it to be beautiful.

"In order for a Coordinator to win this fabulous ribbon, they need to get by the first round of performances followed by winning a single-elimination battle tournament in the second. As Mr. Sukizo alluded to earlier, we have a record number of contestants with a total of one hundred and twenty-one. Due to this amount, we had decided to split the competition over two days with only the top thirty-two people being able to advance to the second round."

Serena's eyes widened. She never would have guessed there were over a hundred people in the backstage area. No wonder it feels so crowded. Could she stand out with this amount?

"Time to present today's theme for the performance round!" The TV screens showed options of Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Toughness, and Cleverness with Beauty enlarging to take up the screen. "It had been determined last night that it was going to be Beauty! This means during the performance stage, Coordinators need to show off their Pokémon's beauty. Only one Pokémon may be used for this competition!"

Serena bit her lips. She had hoped the theme of today was Cuteness. Her Pokémon line-up and routines worked better for that category as Water, Ice, Electric, and Fire moves or types had an advantage of showing off beauty. Her heart started to race with the number of nerves building up.

"Too bad, I guess you won't even make it past the first round," Miette mocked.

"I still have a chance!" Serena growled.

Miette shook her head. "It's a very slim one given the odds. You might do better than most other rookies that are here."

Serena focused on brushing and the TV to see Clark walking out onto the stage. Her eyes widened as it was no wondered she recognized him earlier.

"Our first Coordinator comes from Florando in the Johto Region!" Lillian said. "He has participated in the Johto circuit and lost in the first round of the Grand Festival. He's hoping to make a comeback in the Kanto region! It's an honor to introduce to you all Clark Williams or should I call him Clark the Conductor?"

Clark waved to the crowd before tossing out his purple-colored Pokéball. "Quilava, on tempo!" Popping out of its ball in an explosion of fire was the Volcano Pokémon. Already, the flames showed the beauty in the Pokémon. He had five minutes to dazzle the audience.

Serena refreshed her memory on the Pokémon with her Pokédex._ Quilava, the Volcano Pokémon and the evolved form of Cyndaquil. This Pokémon is covered in nonflammable fur. It can withstand any fire attack. _

Clark started to wave his baton like a conductor. "Let's start with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava summoned flames on its head and tail. Then flames consumed its body while rolling like a wheel. The Volcano Pokémon rolled along the ground in a circle, leaving a trail of flames behind.

"Repeat and then crescendo!" Clark said.

After completing its circle, it rolled inside and made another smaller circle before completing another line. It was a Pokéball shaped fire. Once it completed the picture, it hopped into the air, disbanding the fire. Tiny ember shards sparkled as it landed in the center of the Pokéball sigil.

Serena held her breath and couldn't take her eyes off the screen. Millions of possibilities could lead to a good score. How was he going to take everyone's breath away?

"Sunny Day into Eruption!" Clark continued.

Quilava called forth the power of the sunny with the sun's beams strengthening beyond the glassed ceiling. The flames on the ground appeared to have grown in intensity. Then the Volcano Pokémon sent a geyser of flames into the air with fire raining down onto the field.

The usage of fire amazed Serena. If she didn't know any better, she would compare his style and usage to Aria. Eevee wagged its tail on her lap.

"Time for the big finale, Flame Wheel into Flame Burst!" Clark directed.

The Volcano Pokémon used Flame Wheel to ride up the remainder of the geyser to appear as a molten rock shooting out of a volcano. At the peak of its height, it disbanded the flames once again before summoning an orange ball of fire. It was launched into the air before exploding into a series of embers. Quilava landed gracefully onto the stage with those ember shards falling.

The audience cheered loudly that the entire backstage could hear. Clark with Quilava bowed on the TV. Serena looked to Miette who had a similar look to her. They focused on the TV for the feedback.

"What a wonderful way to start this heated competition!" Lillian said. "Let's see what our judges have to say."

Mr. Contesta spoke first. "What an amazing way to showcase Quilava's beauty as the Volcano Pokémon. I can't imagine a better way than surrounding it by flames and replicating a volcano eruption." On the screen showed his scoring on the performance to be a 10.

Mr. Sukizo spoke next. "Contrasting flames with a fire-type was simply remarkable." His scoring of the performance was a 10.

Athena was the last to speak. "Everything from start to finish blew my mind. Even the way you commanded your Pokémon was perfect." Her scoring of the performance was a 10.

"Incredible, Clark the Conductor has started us off with a perfect score," Lillian said with excitement. "That'll guarantee him a spot in tomorrow's battle competition. This also means the pressure is on for those backstage to dazzle the judges. Let's give Clark another round of applause and then we'll introduce our next contestant."

Serena couldn't believe that the man that helped her calm down Cleffa was also a Coordinator. She wanted to go congratulate him on a stunning performance, but with the number of people in the room, it was hard to see where he would show up until a wide range of women cheered his name.

"He's not a bad catch as well," Miette nudged Serena. "If Brock's not your type, is Clark the Conductor?"

The honey-blonde glared. "Not in a million years."

"You're probably right," Miette chuckled. "So many of the girls in here are already charmed by his performance. You probably won't stand a chance."

"Remind me why you're sitting right next to me?" Serena growled.

"Because there's nowhere else to sit. Good luck finding a spot if you want to leave."

Serena hung her head low as the day went on. Slowly, but surely the backstage was becoming breathable. Many Coordinators came back proud while others did not. Others decided to leave before they even performed. No matter what the performance looked like, Miette always had to rub it into Serena. Eventually, Miette was the one heading out onto the stage at number 47 that Serena watched from the TV.

"From Cyllage City in the Kalos Region is Miette Fournier!" Lillian introduced. "She has already won one Contest in the Kanto Region and she had previously participated in the Kalos circuit. What does she have to show everyone today?"

"Cubchoo, beauty time!" Miette tossed out her Pokéball. Appearing was a bear-like Pokémon with little bubbles surrounding its entrance.

Serena scanned it_. Cubchoo, the Chill Pokémon. It sniffles before performing a move, using its frosty snot to provide an icy element to any move that needs it._

"Hail!" Miette commanded.

It began hailing onto the stage. The ice pellets sparkled in the spotlights.

"Powder Snow!" Miette snapped her fingers.

Cubchoo jumped into the air while releasing a mini snowstorm onto the stage. Snow accumulated that the little Pokémon dove into the snow. It grabbed some of it to toss into the air that glittered in the light.

Serena held Eevee tightly and at the edge of her seat. Her rival managed to rub it into her with her performance mixing cuteness with beauty.

"Now Icy Wind!" Miette ordered.

The Chill Pokémon expelled an Icy Wind over the snow to create a little frozen road. It skated back and forth gracefully.

While watching, Serena felt as if she understood how Miette managed to win in Pewter City. Every single move she made had a purpose and it flowed brilliantly.

Miette performed a twirl. "End with Surf!"

Cubchoo summoned a wave of water that if surfed upon. The entire wave sparkled as the Chill Pokémon hopped up and down. The wave crashed down onto the stage, washing away the excess snow with the little Pokémon doing a little dance. Water particles and ice pellets glittered with the crowd clapping loudly.

"What another incredible performance mixing ice and water," Lillian said. "What do our judges have to say?"

"A stunning performance indeed," Mr. Contesta said. "Cubchoo not only looked beautiful playing into the snow and ice, but it looked cute as well." He gave a score of 9.3

Mr. Sukizo nodded. "Stunningly remarkable at how you managed to make use of the environment." He gave a score of 9.5.

"Unfortunately, the theme is Beauty," Athena said. "While I found your performance incredible, I mean Cubchoo froze my heart over, it does not change the matter of you relying too much on the cuteness of your Pokémon." She harshly gave a score of 7.5.

"Miette received a grand score of 26.3," Lillian announced. "She managed to eliminate another Coordinator to sit comfortably in the middle of the leaderboard. Will that be enough given what we've seen so far? Only time will tell."

Miette nodded before returning her Pokémon. Then she walked backstage on the broadcast. Serena waited by the tunnel for her return. The Kalos native shook her head.

"That Athena is one tough cookie," Miette sighed before grinning at Serena. "I can't wait to see how she judges you."

Serena wrinkled her nose. The blue-haired witch had been taunting her all day with how Athena makes or breaks a Coordinator's score. Considering she wasn't going to be showcasing beauty, the magenta haired woman would have a field day. The honey-blonde looked at the ground with feelings of despair washing over her.

She felt like she was letting down her team who had worked so hard. The only thing she had to show was a potentially bad score and outing. Her friends and family were also watching. What would they think if she made a complete fool of herself?

The next couple of performances went by quickly. Serena stood in the tunnel before the stage. Her heart pounded with her arms shaking as Lillian called for her name.

"Our next contestant is making her debut and from Pallet Town," Lillian began. "Let's give a warm welcome to Serena Paschell!"

Serena walked out onto the stage where the spotlights were blinding. The crowd applauded lightly. The realization that everyone was staring caused the honey-blonde to freeze. Everything that she had prepared in her head was gone and it frightened her. The judges and Lillian quietly stared, waiting for her to do something.

The audience began whispering to themselves. It caused the honey-blonde to closed her eyes, wishing this had all been a dream instead of a nightmare. Her heart started to pound with her eyes wanting to form tears. Suddenly, she felt Eevee nuzzling her face follow by it licking.

"Vee," The Evolution Pokémon said.

Serena looked at her Pokémon to see it frowning. It made her sad and guilty to see Eevee like that. After all, she was robbing Eevee of a chance to show off its amazing dance. She was in this Contest because of Eevee.

"Come on, Serena!" A shouting voice instantly silenced the crowd. The honey-blonde searched the crowd as she knew it was Ash. He was standing in the center with Cleffa raised above his head and Pikachu on his shoulder. "You'll do great! I believe in you!"

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.

"Cleffa!" The Star Shaped Pokémon yelled.

Standing next to her best friend was Brock. "Show them all the hard work you've done!"

"Oh my, it appears Serena is receiving support from her friends and Pokémon," Lillian said. "Will that be enough for the rookie to overcome her fears or will she be disqualified for being unable to participate? We're giving her one more minute to make a move and hopefully, it's for show."

Serena blinked many times, wiping away a tiny tear off her cheek. The support from her friends was touching, especially from Ash. She looked at Eevee, remembering why she wanted to participate in a Contest. Not to win or for the glory, but so she could make Eevee happy. Guess it was time to go for broke!

"Eevee, it's showtime!" Her five-minute timer began.

The Evolution Pokémon grinned as it ran along Serena's back and left arm to get a running jump. It performed several mid-air flips.

"Swift!" Serena snapped her fingers.

Eevee fired off a series of star-bolts into the air that slowly descended downward. It landed gracefully and started to skip in a circle with every third step hopping with a little twirl. Once in a while, it mixed up the twirl with a summersault.

"Quick Attack and Swift!"

The Evolution Pokémon quickened its pace in dance movements while flicking Swift into the air. The stars rained down slowly providing a space-like aesthetic.

"Finish with Bite and Attract!"

Eevee jumped in the center of the stage to bite into one of the star-bolts like a cookie. As it descended, it winked at the crowd with tiny hearts flying outwards. With one last flip, it landed on its feet and immediately went into a bow.

The crowd started to clap and cheer. Some people whistled to Serena's delight. However, the audience had no say in the scoring, so she turned her attention towards the judges.

"After a shaking start, it seems the power of friendship helped the rookie overcome her fears!" Lillian commented. "What a stunningly cute performance, but how will our judges score?"

Mr. Contesta sighed with a discontent appearance. "Not a bad performance. It fact it was wonderful to see a Pokémon enjoy making people happy; however, nothing about it screamed beauty. It was mostly cute. I'm sorry, but…"

"Hold on!" Athena stood up. "I challenge you Mr. Contesta on the very definition of the word, beauty. In my book, there are two types of beauty. One that presents itself on the outside, which we have seen many participants today demonstrate while there's also inner beauty and personality. That is something I've noticed in Eevee's performance. It wanted to showcase its beautiful dance for everyone's enjoyment. It didn't need to be flashy. It simply needed to be itself. While I agree overall the aesthetic was cute and cool, I have to rate that dancing as beautiful." On the scoreboard, it was revealed that she provided an 8.3.

"Nevertheless, it was simply remarkable," Mr. Sukizo said. "Regardless of the final scoring, you and Eevee should feel proud as it takes a lot of courage to perform. I can see you have a bright future." He scored the performance with 7.5.

Mr. Contesta scratched his head before finally speaking again. "Athena is right. I've been judging everyone's performances based on outer beauty while ignoring inner. Still, you stepped into the territory of cuteness, but my score is higher after Athena's watchful eye." He scored the performance a 7.

"That's the first time those three have debated with an interesting point today," Lillian followed up. "Serena managed to score 22.8 which is not bad for her debut. Unfortunately given our current rankings, she is eliminated from the competition, but let's give her another round of applause for a great performance!"

Eevee lowered its head and returned to Serena's side. The honey-blonde crouched down to pick it up. Then she started to pet it while walking back through the tunnel. The audience were whispering amongst themselves while clapping.

"It's okay Eevee," Serena told it. "You were amazing out there…"

The Evolution's Pokémon ears were down with a giant frown on its face. It buried its face into Serena's body.

Miette mockingly clapped as Serena entered the waiting area. "Bravo. You practically embarrassed yourself, but I'm surprised with the scoring given how they've been rating performances today. Dumb luck if you ask me and probably pity after your terrible start."

Serena ignored her and continued onward to the changing area. Behind closed doors, she looked at her phone to see a variety of messages from friends and family.

_Gary: Tough break, but a good show. You'll get them next time._

_Daisy: Bummer, but it was wonderful to see Eevee dancing! Love the flower on its ear! I hope your other Pokémon have been enjoying the accessories!_

_Mom: I'm very proud of you, honey!_

The honey-blonde blinked rapidly, unsure of why her mother was proud of her. She had failed in the first round, which was understandable but not worthy of such praise. Hesitantly, she called her mother.

Upon appearing on the screen, Grace frowned. "Why are you giving me that kind of a face?"

"I'm just confused…why are you so proud?" Serena sniffled.

Grace shook her head while a light chuckled. "What kind of a daughter did I raise if you don't know?" She paused. "Despite being eliminated from the first round, you gave it your all. I can tell you've been practicing considering you hated training with me when you were younger. For those reasons, I'm proud." She then giggled. "Not to mention you took my advice to go for broke."

Serena wiped a tear from her cheek. "I just didn't want to let Eevee down since it wanted to participate in one."

"Vee…" It muttered.

"Eevee…" Serena frowned. "Don't worry, people enjoyed your performance. I'm sorry that it didn't work out."

"So that's it?" Her mother scolded. "You mean to tell me you spent all your time training and practicing to participate in one Contest? Perhaps I misjudged your character."

Serena blinked, unsure why the sudden change in attitude. "I thought you were proud of me."

"That is because I believed you were going to take being a Coordinator more seriously after your elimination," her mother shook her head. "I guess you're still that same girl after all. Anyways, I'm sorry that your first Contest ended so my only piece of advice to you is with your friends for the support."

"Okay…" She sighed.

Grace huffed. "If you're the person I know you can be, then sulking alone isn't going to help anyone, especially Eevee. Go have some fun with Ash to get your mind off it. Now I have to go. Promise me you'll think about what you want to do. Love you."

"I love you too," Serena replied.

The video call ended with a few messages appearing on the screen.

_Ash: We're in the lobby, waiting for you….um, Cleffa won't stop crying so please hurry!_

_Leaf: Oh Serena, I'm so sorry about your Contest. Know I'll be here for you if needed…Good luck with your next one._

Upon seeing Ash's message, she quickly rushed to the lobby with Eevee in her arms. It did not take long for her to locate Ash and company as she followed the sound of a crying Pokémon. Brock had Cleffa and rocking it gently, but it did not seem to be helping. The coach covered her ears with Ash trying to figure out what to do with his phone.

"I'm here!" Serena told them. She immediately exchanged Eevee with Cleffa. "Why is it crying?"

"Beat us," Brock sighed. "It started shortly after hearing you were eliminated. We thought it was hungry, but that's the case."

Ash rubbed his head. "According to the Pokédex, the Cleffa line are mostly nocturnal, but it's been fine every other time during day time."

"Do something already!" Misty grunted.

"It's okay Cleffa." Serena petted its head and rocked it in her arms. Like earlier, it kept crying. "Um…do you want to hear a song? Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Upon above the world so high." She lifted Cleffa above her head while swaying it back and forth. "Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are."

Cleffa seemingly stopped crying while appearing to be sleepy. The honey-blonde petted it gently before returning the Star Shaped Pokémon.

"That's seriously what we needed to do?" Brock quickly took out his phone to note it.

"Since when does Cleffa like lullabies?" Ash asked.

Serena lightly chuckled. "I only found out this morning when it did something very similar."

"You could have told us before you left us with it," the coach rolled her eyes.

Before Serena could apologize, a slow clap could be heard behind her. When she turned around, she saw Clark.

"That was simply beautiful," he remarked. "You have a natural singing voice. I'm a little envious of how lovely you sounded."

Serena blushed. No one had ever complimented her on singing before. "Uh, thanks, Clark. Looks like I have you to thank again considering you're the one who showed me that little trick."

Clark dismissively waved. "Oh please, it was nothing. I was happy to help earlier and it was your quick thinking that stopped it this time so you should be thanking yourself.

"By the way," Serena coyly said. "I absolutely loved your performance. It was wonderful and really beautiful. I can see why you made it to the Grand Festival in Johto and even managed a perfect score this time around."

"Thank you," the man said. "Ever since that embarrassing loss in the Grand Festival, I've worked aimlessly in perfecting my performances. This is the result of my Pokémon's hard work."

Ash stepped in, scowling. "Considering you made it to the second round early on, why are you still here?"

Clark turned to her best friend. "You must not be a Coordinator. It's common practice to stick around to watch others perform. It can inspire one to take their performances to new heights and it's a good way to know your opponents."

The coach interjected. "It's the same thing with the Pokémon League and why it's important to check up on star Trainers to see what their Pokémon can do. Speaking of that, I'm giving you homework tonight to take notes on any notable trainers. We'll start with Gary Oak as he's going to be your biggest rival."

Ash hung his head low, looking embarrassed. The honey-blonde tilted her head at the sight. He had nothing to be ashamed of considering she didn't think to observe the other performances after her own.

"In any case, Serena," Clark grabbed her attention. "I saw your performance and I wanted to see how you were doing."

"W-Why?"

Clark adjusted his scarf. "Because I can understand the frustration and humiliation of going out in the first round despite the crowd loving a performance. It does a number on someone. So I wanted to say you put on a good show and you would an awesome rival to have to keep me on my toes."

"Thanks," Serena smiled awkwardly. She didn't want to disappoint him nor exactly know if she'll try another one. "Then let's push one another to the top!"

"I look forward to seeing you in the future," he replied with his hand extended. "Please, won't you stay to watch the second round tomorrow?"

Serena nodded. "For you, I will." She shook his hand with a firm grip. This time, she was quick to redraw her hand before Ash saw him kiss her hand once again.

The group headed back to the Pokémon Center where they watched the remainder of the performances. They sat in the lounge to watch it with other trainers. The top thirty-two were revealed with Miette and Clark among them. The honey-blonde was mostly silent with Eevee by her side. The Evolution Pokémon appeared to be taking it the hardest as even with Pikachu's funny faces, it moped around.

Serena kept running her performance in her head and how she could have shown beauty more. Maybe deep down, she had never given up on winning. Her chest stung of embarrassment and her head hurting from the analysis of the other performances.

"Serena," Ash called out her name.

She weakly smiled. "What is it, Ash?"

Ash scratched his cheek. "Do you want to go out for a little walk?"

Normally, the honey-blonde would jump at the chance. This time, she simply wasn't in the mood, especially with Eevee's mood. "I don't think that's a good idea at the moment…"

"Don't worry about Eevee," Brock said. "I'll watch over it along with Pikachu."

"When you come back, don't forget about your homework," the coach added while using her phone to browse. "We have a ton of footage to get through."

Ash held out his hand that Serena reluctantly took to get up. The warmth of his hand made Serena feel safe. Lots of joyful thoughts came to her mind until Ash resented his hand. She wanted to hold onto it longer but followed him in hopes to feel better. Together, they walked around the city with the sun already set. The moon was high in the sky.

"You know, I thought you were amazing out there," Ash said with his hands behind his head. "You and Eevee were in sync and the Swifts reminded me of seeing the stars at night."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Serena lightly chuckled. "I guess I was inspired by our walks back in Pallet Town."

Her crush chuckled. "Why am I not surprised? You usually like going on these walks together. I wish we could see the stars, but seeing the moon is close enough."

"I guess…" Serena was looking at the ground before stopping under a streetlamp.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

Serena shook her head. "It's nothing."

Ash stood there with his arms crossed. It looked like he was debating with himself. "I don't want to pry but I am worried about you. I don't think I've ever seen you this quiet over several hours."

The honey-blonde looked at the moon, thinking about what her mother had said earlier mixed with different taunts of Miette. Losing Ash to her would be the worst. Still, he can't be her only reason to be traveling. It wasn't fair to anyone. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything," Ash replied. "I'll do my best to answer."

"What made you decide to be a Pokémon Master?"

The raven-haired boy scratched his head. "Good question…I wanted to be a Pokémon Master ever since I could remember. I guess I came up with the idea because Gary said he was going to be the greatest Champion the world has ever seen. The only thing I can think of to top that was being a Master. That little fantasy evolved into a goal of mine in unlocking potential. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious. You always seemed sure that's what you wanted to do and based your entire journey around a title that doesn't exist. I know being a Master to you is being able to bring out any Pokémon's full potential, but how do you even know you'll achieve it?

Ash smiled. "The beauty of it is I don't."

The honey-blonde's jaw dropped. "Then why even make that your goal?"

"An endless goal keeps you on your toes and motivated in finding a way to accomplish it." He looked at the moon. "I know that the world can't tell me whenever I achieve it. I can only know whenever I discover the secret of unlocking a Pokémon's full potential. With my research so far, I feel closer to the finish line, but there's still a very long road ahead. No matter what, I aim to accomplish the impossible."

Serena admired her friend's convictions and ideals. "I hope that you'll achieve that goal one day."

"Me too," he laughed. "What about you? Did you come up with a goal?"

"That's what I was hoping to find or at least understand how someone develops a goal," she sighed. "Besides pity arguments, it seemed like you formulated your goal around your passion and love for Pokémon."

"Of course," he said. "Isn't that where all goals originate from? Some sort of passion and love for something?"

The honey-blonde paused while thinking about her friends' goals. Leaf loved learning and Pokémon so she decided she wanted to pursue being a professor. Brock enjoys helping people and Pokémon in need and thus he wanted to become a doctor. The coach loved water-types and battling so she's becoming a Trainee. Gary was tougher to decipher other than evolution leads to strength and therefore becoming a strong champion. What did she love doing?

Despite not wanting to come along on a walk, she was glad that she did. "You're right Ash," she remarked. "Why don't we finish our walk?"

They walked around the block, stopping once in a while to take a picture with a water-type statue-like Seel or Starmie. Upon returning to the Pokémon Center, Ash was dragged by his coach to watch videos. Miette was steamed that the group left the Contest Hall without her nor even stayed to watch the rest of the performances there. Brock was outside, playing with his Pokémon, especially Zubat.

The honey-blonde watched some of the interviews from today's Contest. On some level, she could see the passion and love for the competition in every one of them. It made her wonder if she was truly passionate about Contests. Thoughts like that plagued her mind as she fell asleep.

The next morning, Serena was stirred in her sleep once again to the sound of the coach yelling. Instead of watching, she took a quick shower before taking a walk to the beach with Eevee on her shoulder. The sand was soft and a trail of footprints was left behind. She thought Eevee might enjoy the view. The Evolution Pokémon appeared to be smiling, which was a big improvement since last night. It was a huge relief, but it still worried about the honey-blonde.

A gentle breeze swept the area with the waves crashing onto the shore. It was slowly getting lighter with the sun rising in the distance. Serena released her Pokémon so they could see it. Nidoran glared at Eevee. Ledyba was hovering around Serena's shoulder with Cleffa hopping up and down.

Between last night and the relaxing walk, the Coordinator felt as if she had a sense of clarity. She understood why she was saddened by her defeat despite casting away the need to win. She understood why Eevee felt heartbroken despite general praise. She understood some of her desires and the way she had been treating any Pokémon she met. She stepped closer to the water and turned around to address her Pokémon.

"Listen up everyone," she began. "I know yesterday was a disappointment." She bowed. "I'm sorry to have let you all down like that." She sniffled. "It's all my fault. I should have known been than to rely on getting lucky in the category selection. I didn't prepare you guys well enough. All of your hard work was almost for not. Please, forgive me!"

"Ledyba!" The Five Star Pokémon flew around. The air began smelling musty.

Cleffa grabbed ahold of her leg. "Cleffa!"

"Vee!"

"Nidoran!"

Nidoran and Eevee jumped into her arms. Serena felt the love coming from her Pokémon. It made her cry tears of joy. She was lucky to have such wonderful Pokémon. The Pokémon also shred some tears. Serena guessed it was because they hated seeing her sad as well.

She wiped away some of the tears while embracing them as best she could. "Oh, guys. Thank you. That being said, we have a lot of work to do if we plan on winning the next Contest!" Her Pokémon cheered at the news, especially Eevee. "Starting today, we're going work towards a goal and dream. I hope you all will be part of it!"

Her Pokémon cheered once again. The smiles on their faces made Serena happy. How could she be so blind to it all along? A fire was lit under her eyes and she couldn't wait to tell the world, but she needed to take care of a few errands first.

Ash retrieved his Pokémon at the front desk. His entire body ached from the exercise Misty had been putting him through. According to her, a fit body meant a fit mind and he could think faster and clearer. He didn't entirely buy into it, but he was willing to give it a shot. He returned to his friends who were waiting by the door. The only person who was missing was Serena.

"Let's just leave," Miette said while looking at the time. "She's a big girl and can find her way to the Contest Hall. You can also text her too."

Brock sighed. "I understand you made it to the second round so why don't you just head out so you won't be late?"

"And miss a chance to walk with Ash? No thanks."

Misty rubbed the temples of her head. "This better not happen in every city."

Ash frowned. In all honesty, he didn't want to see the second round of the Contest since Serena didn't make it and he didn't know how to feel about Clark. He seemed like a nice person, but the way he acted around Serena bothered him for some unknown reason to him.

"I'm waiting for her," he said. "That's final."

"Sorry everyone," Serena said.

Brock's, Misty's, and Miette's eyes widened with jaws dropping to Ash's confusion. When he turned around, he blinked several times to ensure he was seeing the right person. Serena was not wearing her usual outfit let alone her hair was no longer down her back. Her hair presently was by her shoulder in length. Her hat was a red fedora with the rainbow feather still being a part of it. She wore black laced boots with black leggings and a red cardigan over a sky blue dress. With a backpack, she also had a purse by her side.

Serena giggled while performing a twirl. "Ta-da! What do you all think?"

"Vee!" The Evolution Pokémon barked on her shoulder.

"I think you looked better with long hair," Misty said while putting on sunglasses.

Miette shook her head while laughing. "Heartbroken are we?"

Brock dismissively waved at that comment. "Oh please, I think she's embracing something new inside of her."

Ash smiled while coyly saying, "I think you look… really cute."

"Thanks, Ash!" Serena beamed. His best friend tipped her hat. "Oh. From this day forward, I will no longer be helping you with your research."

"Did you finally discover what you wanted to research?" The young man looked at her with some excitement.

Serena nodded. "More than that. I finally discovered what I want to do on my journey with you." She had her hands close to her heart. "I want to be a Contest Grandmaster!"

Miette scoffed. "There's no such thing. How does one surpass a Contest Master who already can dazzle people in all five categories?"

"In the words of the wonderful Aria, one can't be afraid of chasing after their dreams," Serena stated. "No matter the challenges I'll have to endure, I'll become a Grandmaster so I can dazzle people and Pokémon alike! I want to make the world a happier place."

"Vee!" Eevee said cheerfully.

Brock chuckled. "I guess a certain someone must have influenced that." He nudged Ash who began scratching his head. "Then what are you researching?"

"Pokémon happiness," Serena smugly said. "I thought about what Ash said when he first met Pikachu and how he thought about its happiness. I did the same for Eevee for a Contest, but I want to ensure every Pokémon we meet and befriend are as happy as they can be. Then hopefully with my research, everyone can make their Pokémon happy!"

"Sounds like another topic in helping to unlock Pokémon's potential," Ash remarked.

Serena winked. "Leave that all to me just like Leaf with the physique." The honey-blonde gestured towards the door. "Come on, let's go cheer on Clark!"

"Hey!" Miette shouted. "I have a fair shot at the Contest too you know."

"Yes, but Clark's been to the Grand Festival in Johto unlike you in Kalos," Serena simply replied.

Miette grinded her teeth. "That proves nothing about how things are going to go today!"

The group walked to the Contest Hall. Ash was mystified by Serena the entire way. Something about her appearance, walking, and attitude interested him. If he was alone with Serena, he would speak up as Miette and his best friend were going at it once again with Serena seemingly taking it better this time around.

The quartet of friends watched from the stands while Miette headed backstage. They witnessed many battles with Miette and Clark being in the final round.

"Sneasel use Icy Wind on the ground to up-tempo!" Clark shouted.

"Slurpuff use Fairy Wind to stop it!" Miette countered.

Sneasel froze part of the floor with Icy Wind and began skating in a circle around Slurpuff who created a wind of fairy dust, but it kept missing. Miette's points were reduced from 70 to 54.

"Use that lovely voice and sing it a tune!" Clark commanded.

His Pokémon emitted a high-frequency sound that startled Slurpuff. No doubt to Ash's mind that it was using Screech as Miette was covering her ears. Her points further reduced to 42

"Fin with Metal Claws!" Clark yelled.

Sneasel skated around before sucker punching Slurpuff with Metal Claws. The impact sent Slurpuff flying back towards its trainer. A giant red 'X' filled the scoreboard.

"The judges have ruled Slurpuff being unable to battle!" Lillian said. "That means the winner of the Cerulean Contest is Clark the Conductor!"

The crowd cheered and clapped. Serena appeared to be happy while Ash scowled. The judges presented Clark with the ribbon. Clark held it in the air while waving to the crowd. He later met up with Serena and her friends in the lobby.

"Congrats, Clark," Serena said.

Clark smiled. "Thank you. I see you have changed your appearance. Quite stylish and beautiful at the same time."

Serena grinned. "Thanks. It was time for a change."

"If you say so," Clark chuckled. "I'm glad you decided to stick around. Did you learn anything from watching me?"

Serena nodded. "Mostly what goes into being a Coordinator. If I want to be taken seriously, then I'm going to have to take other people's ideas to make my own like you did for Sneasel and the icy path you created."

Clark grinned while handing her a piece of paper. "That's a start, but perhaps you'll benefit from having my number and keeping in touch from time-to-time."

Ash frowned at the exchange of paper and tighten his grip. What was Clark's aim here?

"Why do you want to help a rival?" Serena asked.

"You have a lot of catching up to do," the musician laughed. "I want my rivals to be on an even playing field and I've heard teaching others is a great way to boost my understanding."

Serena nodded slowly. "So you're using me to further your career."

"I know how shallow that sounds, but I truly want to help give you a proper start as oppose to you figuring things out on the fly."

"I appreciate any help you can provide but don't expect me to lean on you for ideas," Serena smiled. "I'm planning on surpassing you with my own style of performances!"

Clark gave a nod. "That's the spirit. Don't be a stranger when you do run into issues." He turned his attention towards Ash. "I believe a friend of yours has already left if you were waiting for them."

Ash scratched his head. "Are you talking about Miette?"

"She told me to tell you that she wanted to become stronger for you," he replied. "You're one lucky man and I hope you'll open your eyes one day to what you're missing."

Serena shook her head. "I think his eyes are just fine where they're at."

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked.

"None of my business," Clark said. "See ya around!" He waltzed off deeper into the lobby where he was greeted by many women asking for his autograph or to take some kind of picture.

Ash folded his arms, watching Clark interact with his fans. He didn't know what to think of the guy yet, but he wondered if he'll be surrounded by adoring fans once he builds up his reputation. He felt a tap on his shoulder with Serena walking to his side.

"So Ash, it turns out one of the next Contest is in Saffron City!" She said.

"Really?" Ash said. "That's where the closest Gym is located."

"That Gym has a new leader," Brock said. "I believe she's a psychic type user."

Misty looked at her phone. "Then we better get moving if we want to provide plenty of time for both of you to prepare for those matches."

Serena giggled and started to move. "Race you guys to the end of the city!"

"Hold on, I know the way!" Misty gave chase with Ash and Brock close behind.

Athena was backstage in a changing room, packing her belongings and waving goodbye to several crew members. When she was alone, she dropped the smile and reached down into her pocket for a Bluetooth headpiece to place in her ear. With a press of a button, she waited for Giovanni to pick up from the other end.

"Make it quick, Ariana" Giovanni said coldly.

The woman smiled at the sound of his voice. "The girl didn't make it to the second round. The category was not something she was able to do despite several interventions and meddling. The intel was wrong."

"Are you sure?"

"You know I would never have made a careless mistake." Ariana's heart sunk. "I can judge another one of her Contests as well unless you want me to punish those three for their incompetence."

There was a moment of silence. "Yes, those three seem to have been failing one too many times as of late. Make them remember the true meaning of no failure."

The woman smiled impishly. No one makes her look like a fool and gets away with it. She restrained herself from laughing until she met with those three.

* * *

**AN: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts**

**Next Time: Chapter 12: Pokemon Ranger and the Hidden Village Part 1 ("I want you to confirm everyone's identities.")**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: Who's Clark the Conductor?**

**He's a one-off character in the Hoenn League during the double battle round against Ash. I found him to be an interesting character and thought his musical personality would work better for Contests and since most ladies are charmed by him, why not a love rival for Ash. Fair is fair since Miette is rivaling Serena with Ash's affection. I hope you also liked the musical terms I incorporated in his battling and performing.**

**Q: Why did Serena lose in the first round? Didn't I set her up to at least make it to the second round?**

**I wanted you to keep guessing or assume. Honestly, she was always going to lose this one so I can have her change outfits and be similar to her Showcase Debut in the anime. I also rewatched May's and Dawn's first Contest that they part take in and they made it passed the first round while losing in the second and I didn't want to mimic that. Also, keep in mind that there were around 100 participants so it was stacked and the scores of the top 32 were 25+ in score.**

**Q: Why did I add in the categories of Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Toughness, and Cleverness to the first round? Wasn't the regular Contest rules enough?**

**This forces me to come up with different routines and such for each Contest as opposed to writing similar things each time. I also think it adds a bit freshness and justifies why I had Serena's score be lower.**

**Q: Will every Contest be as stacked? Why was it split over two days?**

**Probably not. I wanted to give Serena the best possible chance without making it seem unbelievable or narrow as top 8 or 4. It's split over two days because logically, having about 121 people with about 5 minutes performing resulted in nearly 10 hours on round 1 alone. Factor in feedback, then it's nearly 12 hours if everything moved along.**

**Q: When will we see Serena's Pokemon in real action?**

**Saffron City in two different ways.**


	12. Pokemon Ranger and Hidden Village Part 1

**Chapter 12: Pokemon Ranger and the Hidden Village Part 1**

Ash pushed his body up and down. He faced the grassy ground as some of his sweat dripped down. All he could think about was keeping his back straight so he wouldn't get on Misty's bad side. He already regretted sleeping in late a few times since she joined the group and having several intense workout sessions. This morning was no exception of having to run around the mossy forest for several miles with little breaks.

The only good thing was the morning sun casting light that danced in the pond that they set their campsite next to the night before under Misty's _suggestion_. Not hard to figure out she wanted to train Magikarp and Seadra and spend some time with them outside of an inflatable pool.

A cool gentle breeze felt refreshing to his heated body. The wind also carried the sweet scent of steamed rice and veggies, courtesy of Brock. He had set up a table along with his cooking equipment. Occasionally he would glance over at the Pokémon to ensure they were not overdoing it.

Speaking of his Pokémon, they were training hard. He could hear Charmander alternating between Flamethrower and Dragonbreath to see how long it could hold the attacks. Similarly, Pikachu had been zapping away. Winds howled with Butterfree's Gust. Pidgeotto chirped in the sky while trying to learn a new move under Misty's instructions. Nidoran was also learning a new move by biting on some rocks.

"Twenty-eight," Ash gasped. "Twenty-nine." He did another rep. "Th-" He struggled with the last. "Thirty." He rested on his legs while wiping some of the sweat from his forehead with his arm. His arms felt like they were on fire while he hoped that was the end of his specific training.

Misty had to ruin that dream as she stood over the exhausted trainer. "Now I want you to do thirty-thirty-thirty for sit-ups."

He groaned. "Do I seriously have to after doing burpees, lunges, and planks?" He held his sore stomach.

"You can make that forty-forty-forty for questioning me," his coach adjusted her sunglasses. "I would get started unless you want to increase the amount to fifty."

Ash immediately got onto his back. His knees pointed to the right as he began thrusting himself into the air with his hands behind him back. The self-proclaimed orange beauty left to check her Pokémon by the pond. Because of this, Ash was able to see Serena by her pink tent, grooming her Pokémon. Seeing her made him extra motivated in doing these ridiculous exercises.

Over the past few days, his friend had impressed him. She got up as early as he did just to practice different categories that her Pokémon would excel in other than Cuteness. After her set of drills, she took some time to learn more about what made her Pokémon happy and noted them down. Turns out her Pokémon enjoys hearing her lovely singing voice. Cleffa, in particular, enjoyed it the most with _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ as its favorite and it had been enjoying _Gotta Catch 'Em All_.

Aside from those activities, she had been looking into different moves that her Pokémon could learn. Eevee had spent some time with Pikachu in learning Iron Tail. Her Nidoran appeared to be learning some kind of poison move while the honey-blonde had zero clues on Cleffa. Ledyba was mostly alright with her.

"Thirty-eight," Ash uttered while struggling. "Thirty-nine." He shut his eyes with his stomach aching.

He suddenly felt a couple of cold vines grab ahold of his arms. Not only were his hands restricted but the vines pulled him hard onto the ground.

"Argh!" He struggled to get free. The commotion drew the attention of his friends and Pokémon.

"PikaPi!" The Mouse Pokémon quickly ran up to Ash, encasing its tail in steel. Before it could swing, it was blindsided by a series of spinning leaves. Follow that up by a brown-skinned Pokémon pounding it with a mitten-like hand to send it flying.

Serena managed to catch it to Ash's relief. He followed the vines to see a Bulbasaur. It was bigger than what he was used to seeing and lime-green as opposed to sea-green. Standing next to it was the Pokémon that pounded Pikachu. It had a tiny leaf on its head.

_Nuzleaf, the Wily Pokémon and the evolved form of Seedot_. Serena's Pokédex identified it_. This Pokémon pulls out its leaf on its head to make a flute with it. The sound of this flute strikes fear and uncertainty in the hearts of those lost in a forest._

"What are they attacking us?" Misty asked. "I thought grass-types are supposed to friendly towards people."

Ash felt anger radiating from those two, but he also felt another emotion behind them. Several deer-like Pokémon with a flower on their head and pink fur cowered in the woods that he could see. "I'm guessing they're protecting those Pokémon.

_Deerling, the Season Pokémon. _Serena's Pokédex identified. _The turning of seasons changes the color and scent of this Pokémon's fur. People use it to mark the seasons._

"Still doesn't explain their attitude towards us," Misty growled.

"Perhaps they've had poor experiences with humans," Serena suggested. "We should avoid hurting them if possible."

Misty sighed. "They should have thought of that before attacking people who were minding their own business."

"Maybe we can scare them off," Ash looked over to his Pokémon. "Charmander, send them a warning with Flamethrower!"

The Lizard Pokémon got in front of Ash while being bombarded by spinning leaves. In response, it spat out a stream of fire to burn them to ashes. "Charmander!" It warned while angling its attack upward.

The vines on Ash's arms retracted back to Bulbasaur. It released a light blue powder from its bulb.

"Pidgeotto use Gust to blowback that Sleep Powder!" Misty commanded.

The Bird Pokémon flapped its wings to guide the powder back towards the grass-types. "Pidgeotto!"

The two grass-types split up while firing spinning leaves. "Saur!" The Bulbasaur shouted. "Leaf!" Nuzleaf yelled. The attacks caused Ash and Charmander to retreat towards the rest of the group.

Ash admired their bravery, but he didn't understand why they were so angry or trying to fight. Surely, they must understand that four of his Pokémon could seriously hurt them and friends. The young man wasn't sure what his friends could do to defuse this situation.

"I hate to say this but our best option is to run," Brock said.

"And leave our stuff here?" Misty did not sound pleased.

Serena frowned. "If we don't want to hurt them, then it's our only choice. Hopefully, we won't have to go fishing later. What do you think, Ash?"

He gave a nod and he quickly returned Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and his Nidoran. Misty and Serena did the same with their Pokémon with the exception of Eevee.

"Charmander use Smokescreen!"

"Noctowl use Hurricane!" Shouted a feminine voice.

A puff of smoke was expelled from the Lizard Pokémon's mouth that filled the area for a mere second until the winds dispersed the cloud. The wind picked up Charmander and spun it around to Ash's horror and sent it hurtling into the water.

Ash dashed past his friends and dove into the water. He grabbed ahold of Charmander, ensuring that its tail was out of the water. The Lizard Pokémon did not appear well.

A Golduck soon appeared in front of Ash. The red gem on its forehead began glowing along with its eyes. Ash was lifted into the air and effortlessly tossed back onto the shore in front of his friends.

Serena hovered around his body. "Are you okay?" The young woman frantically checked for any serious injury.

"Stay where you are and put your hands above your head!" Shouted the same feminine voice. "Do not make me repeat myself."

The group looked back to where grass-types stood to see a woman in the classic Pokémon Ranger uniform, red jacket over a black and white shirt and cargo pants. Surprisingly, the grass-types seemed friendly with her. A Noctowl flew above her while Golduck occupied the waters.

"Mind telling us what's the big idea here?" Misty shouted back.

The woman held out a badge to show proof of identity. "You're all under arrest for trespassing in a nature reserve and I can add on top of that battling with the Pokémon that live here too."

"Wait, we didn't know this was a nature reserve," Brock said. "Honest and we weren't trying to battle those Pokémon. We were trying to scare them off and when that didn't work we were going to run."

"Typical Hunter talk if you ask me," the woman glared at the group. Did she even care that Ash's Charmander was in critical condition? That was on top of Ash being thrown and possibly being injured.

Serena handed Pikachu to Ash while holding up her phone. "We're not Pokémon Hunters and I can prove it. Ash and I are Research Fellows for Professor Oak. He can attest that we're Pokémon lovers and we came here on accident!"

The ranger narrowed her eyes while motioning her head. Noctowl flew by to snatch Serena's phone for her review. Then she tapped an earpiece. "Patch me to Oak." She paused. "I don't care if he's asleep. I need him to confirm the identities of some trespassers who claim to be Research Fellows with his facility.

Ash was sitting upright while looking at Charmander. The flame on its tail was smaller. He wished the ranger would allow them to treat the Lizard Pokémon. Pikachu was fine aside from a minor bruise. He hoped Professor Oak would clear the air.

A holographic image of Oak appeared in the palm of the ranger's left hand. "Ash and Serena? Are you two okay? What happened?"

"We're fine," Serena answered. "We were doing some training by the water and about to have some breakfast when a couple of grass-types attacked Ash. We were about to run when a Pokémon Ranger foiled our plan and sent poor Charmander flying into the water."

The Professor nodded with a sigh. "Ranger Melanie, please excuse their intrusion. I believe they're unaware of the Hidden Village project on Route Five."

"Can you confirm _everyone's_ identities, please?" Melanie's shoulders started to relax.

"Sorry," he replied. "Ash is the boy carrying Charmander. Serena is the girl in the fedora. I believe the taller man is Brock, former Gym Leader of Pewter City. Lastly, there's Misty, daughter of Rachel Waterflower. Please, escort them back to the base so Charmander can get the treatment it needs."

Melanie nodded while looking at the grass-types and ending the call. "They're okay. Head over to get a drink. I'll be watching them while they gather their belongings."

Bulbasaur eyed the group before leading the Pokémon of the forest around their campsite. Surprising to everyone, several other Pokémon like Oddish, Rattatta, Sunflora, Budew, and Cherubi came out along with several Deerling.

The ranger then turned towards the group. "I'm sorry for the hostilities and injuring your Pokémon. Please, gather your stuff and I'll take you to our Ranger Base."

The group reluctantly followed her instructions quickly. They followed her deep into the forest. As they were walking, Brock sprayed Charmander with a potion, but it did not appear to have a great effect.

Ash was conflicted about the Pokémon Ranger. He understood that she was only doing her job, but she didn't hesitate to send his Pokémon for a swim. Then throwing him back to shore. He wondered if Pokémon Hunters were in the area.

They arrived at a clearing with a two-story building in the middle, mostly made of wood. A garden of berries and veggies were to the right of it while a small pond was on its right. Melanie opened the door with the inside appearing to be more house-like than a secret base. A carpet for their shoes with a staircase leading upstairs. Another woman stood at the base of the stairwell. She had a blue version of the ranger uniform, squared glasses, auburn hair, and a headset on.

"Seems like you're on top of everything, Judy," Melanie exclaimed.

Judy chuckled. "I did hear your entire conversation with Oak, Mel." She quickly grabbed ahold of the Lizard Pokémon from Ash. "Don't worry, I'll have it better before you know it."

"After you're done with that why don't you make me feel better over a bowl of rice?" Brock kneeled in front of Judy.

The auburn-haired lady had her jaw dropped.

Then Misty unexpectedly pulled on Brock's ear. "How about I make everyone feel better by stopping your crazy antics?! Do you want to be thrown behind a cell?"

"Are we sure you're a former Gym Leader?" Melanie hung her head. "You certainly don't act like one."

"With that being said, I have several Pokémon to check on in the back," Judy announced.

Brock broke free of Misty's grip. "Wait!" He stepped in front of Judy before she could get too far away. "I'm sorry for acting like a crazy person. I'm aspiring to be a Pokémon Doctor and it would be an honor to observe some of your techniques and possibly learn something new. Assuming I didn't burn down that bridge…"

Judy stared back at him while thinking. "I suppose you can watch and ask questions as long as its only related to healing a Pokémon's injuries. One word about asking me on a date and I'll throw you out faster than a Quick Attack."

Together, they went down the hallway.

Ash turned to Melanie. "If you don't mind me asking since when did an area of Route Five become a nature reserve?"

"And why are there a bunch of Deerling here?" Serena added. "According to the Pokédex, they're only native to the Unova Region."

"I can't believe you two wouldn't ask why the grass-types decided to attack us!" Misty sighed.

Melanie sighed and motioned them to follow her into a room full of computers. A man in a white lab coat with a blue collared shirt and jeans, squared glasses, and brown hair was observing a map on a screen until he noticed the group. Standing beside him was Professor Oak.

"Professor Sakuragi and Professor Oak," the ranger addressed and introduced the group. "I thought it would be best for you to explain what's going on."

Ash and Serena looked at one another. They knew this professor by name as one of Professor Oak's colleagues. He was also the head of the Sakuragi Institute in Vermillion City. His area of study was more general compared to other professors. Still, they figured he was here to consult on the on-going project.

"It's been a while, Ash and Serena," Oak smiled. "I'm glad you two are alright." He turned towards Misty. "It's nice to meet you, Misty."

Misty grinned. "I never would have imagined meeting the great Professor Oak here of all places."

"Great to see you too, Professor!" Ash and Serena gave him a hug.

Pikachu and Eevee ran around their feet. The Professor kneeled down to pet them.

"Cha!" Pikachu said with a smile that shocked Oak.

"Vee!" Eevee wagged its tail.

Sakuragi shook hands with everyone. "It's nice to meet you all, especially to those who work closely with Professor Oak for years. He has nothing but praise for the both of you, especially with the discovery of the Rainbow Wing!" He stared at Serena's hat with the feather. "Quite beautiful in person."

"Did you learn more about the feather, Professor?" Serena asked.

Oak rubbed his neck. "The feather has some sort of significance in ancient times. Daisy is currently looking into it at home along with Professor Elm and his team. The only thing I can say for certain is that the person who discovers the feather is known as the Rainbow Hero."

Ash blinked while looking at the feather that sparkled. Did that mean he was the Rainbow Hero of this era? Many thoughts floated in his mind.

"You two waited until now to tell me about this feather?" Misty exclaimed. "I thought it was an expensive gift."

Melanie cleared her throat. "Ahem. While a fascinating discovery indeed, we don't have all day to gawk at it."

Sakuragi nodded. "Right. I hope you would allow us to look at the feather at a later time, Serena. Aside from the amazing discovery, it's quite the surprise that you two didn't know about the project."

"They've been on a journey old friend," Oak said. "It must have slipped their minds to keep up-to-date with these current events and projects.

Ash and Serena nervously laughed. Between all of the excitement of their research, goals, and bad guys, it was quite understandable for them.

"I see," Sakuragi appeared to understand and turned towards the screen behind him. Images of Pokémon they've seen before appeared and other Pokémon not native to Kanto appeared as well. "Well, I suppose I'll start at the beginning. Trainers of all regions travel across the world seeking new challenges on their journeys. Some decide to release Pokémon on foreign soil for one reason or another."

Ash gritted his teeth in anger at that notion. He recalled Damian's reasoning and wondered if all of those Pokémon were left there because they were considered weak. He looked at Serena who had a similar expression to him. He relaxed upon seeing her face and knowing he wasn't alone in feeling that way.

"The abandonment caused many of those Pokémon to be afraid of humans," Professor Oak continued. "Some of them developed a hatred for people outside of the Ranger Union. Because of that, we're zoning off this particular area so that these Pokémon can heal some of those invisible wounds until a time where they're more friendly. Furthermore, we want to ensure they can properly adapt to our environments. It's quite possible we're looking at new regional variants in the coming generations."

Ash looked at Serena who had a similar expression of astonishment. New regional variants to study would be amazing to see develop right before their eyes. Misty smirked at the idea as well. Then Serena scratched her head.

"Was that Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf also abandoned by trainers?" Serena asked.

Melanie shook her head. "Well, I believe Nuzleaf was abandoned not too long ago by a trainer. That Bulbasaur if you would believe it is a wild Pokémon. It helped many of those grass-types get accustomed to the area, mainly around our base after I saved it from some nasty injuries."

"Wild Bulbasaur tend to be bigger than trained ones due to their constant exposure to sunlight," Sakuragi smiled.

Oak nodded. "It's also a sign that it's healthy. On top of that, it's of an extremely rare color."

Ash knew his eyes weren't deceiving him and that it was of a different color. It made him more curious about it. "Has that Bulbasaur always been here by itself?"

Misty raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by itself? Clearly, you need some glasses because it's not alone by any stretch of the imagination."

Serena dismissively waved at her. "That's not what he means. Typically wild Bublasaur travel in herds so it's strange to see one all by itself."

The Professors looked at one another with curious looks and pondered the thought themselves.

Sakuragi scratched his chin. "That's a good observation, young lad. I haven't thought about it until now. Now you got me curious." Everyone turned their attention to Melanie.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen a herd of them around here," she answered. "As I said, I found it alone when I first began scouting the area after several reports. All I know is that it suffered serve injuries from some kind of intense battle."

Ash wondered if it had gotten into a battle with a trainer and lost. It might explain some of its animosity aside from word of mouth.

* * *

Brock followed Judy into the medical bay area. Inside were several beds with Pokémon resting in each one. The aspiring doctor scanned each one to refresh his memory. There was a Paras, Hoothoot, Staryu, and Gulpin. Each one of them had some sort of bandage around them and appeared to be sleeping. He was amazed to see all sorts of monitoring equipment.

"So Judy, what do you do for the Ranger Union?" He asked. Typically the Ranger Union showcased members wearing red uniforms on television. He had never seen a member wearing a blue outfit.

The woman chuckled. "I coordinate with the Ranger Union on different missions and supplies that we might need to ensure this area is safe for everyone. Everyone that you see on posters has a partner like me and there's more to the union than the heroic figures like Mel."

A sense of ease washed over Brock, learning that it was a team effort that made the Union work.

Judy walked over to the back where she placed Charmander into a glass casing device. With the touch of a few buttons, the machine began scanning the injured Pokémon. On a separate screen, a schematic of the Lizard Pokémon showed up with the ranger analyzing it.

"What's that device?" Brock asked.

"I suppose you wouldn't have seen the back of a Pokémon Center before," she sighed. "This is known as the Recovery Analyzer. It scans the body of a Pokémon and then it gives me vital information." She pointed at the screen. "See, it shows internal and external temperatures. They appear to be normal; however, the life force appears to be low and heart rate appears to be high. You coming here will save me some time. What did Mel do to it?"

Brock explained the incident with Noctowl using Hurricane and how it was thrown into the waters. "It's hard to tell if Noctowl was holding back. It looked like a devastating attack to me. Not to mention her Golduck tossing them out of the water too. I tried a potion on it earlier, but it didn't appear to do a thing."

Judy stared at the screen once again before examining Charmander more closely. Her hands pressed against the scales. Around the chest area, the Lizard Pokémon squirmed. She pressed an ear to its chest. "I see." She eyed the former Gym Leader. "You want to be a doctor right? Tell me why you're traveling with people instead of attending a school."

"Uh…I'm part of a large family with ten different siblings. Even with my dad being a Gym Leader and my mom running the restaurant, most of that money goes to them so they can eat, have decent clothes, and possibly pursue higher education themselves. I'm traveling with Ash and Serena as I can learn a thing or two from their experiences and the wide range of Pokémon they'll befriend."

The woman raised her head with a nod. Then she was browsing through a selection of berries. "Hard to believe, but you wouldn't lie about having a large family. Quite admirable of you to put your siblings ahead of your own career."

Brock blushed. Maybe he was getting somewhere with her.

"I've identified the problem with Charmander," she smiled. "Do you want a crack at identifying it before I apply a treatment?"

"R-Really?"

Judy nodded. "The best way to learn is through experience. This is how many people are trained to be a nurse or doctor. Though usually we start off with a mild injury, but Charmander's injury isn't life-threatening as it appears. You might want to give it a shot before I change my mind."

Brock hesitantly examined the Lizard Pokémon. He followed a similar procedure as Judy. First, he pressed against the scales of its body. He noticed that the chest and head area were flaky than normal. On top of that, some of its scales were paler. Like with Judy, Charmander had a response when he touched the chest area. Then he pressed an ear to the chest and listened to its heartbeat. It was rapid and its breathing appeared shallow.

"Hmm," he pondered everything that he knew about the situation and books relating to flaky, pale scales. His heart started to race as he feels like this should be obvious. He shut his eyes hoping it would jog his memory.

Judy gently pushed him to the side while setting down a paste-like substance. Then she lightly pressed down on its chest in a rhythmic fashion. Charmander soon coughed up some water. Amazingly, the flame on its tail flickered brighter. Following that, she applied the paste over the chest and head. Lastly, she bandaged it up and brought it by a bed so it could properly rest.

"Wait a minute, I thought you said it was not life-threatening?" Brock gasped, realizing it nearly drowned.

"Fire-types have a big lung capacity so they spit out fire for longer periods of time compared to other types," Judy said. "Inhaling a little water isn't going to be super life-threatening as it's still able to breathe in some oxygen. Air is vital in keeping a Charmander's life force stable so right now it'll slowly recover it over time."

"Is that why its tail was weaker this entire time?"

Judy nodded. "That and it being in water for at least a minute as you described. All it needs is rest. Though, I wouldn't recommend it battling for at least a few days. The impact of landing in the water I believe also caused a minor concussion. Plus, the scales on its chest needs to heal."

"How did you know that was the issue?"

She pointed at the vitals on screen. "The heart rate read about a hundred-twenty when a resting heart rate for a Charmander is between the range of seventy to a hundred and ten. That narrowed down the possibilities. Due to it being in the water, the logical problem was it nearly drowned and thus water must have been in its lungs. To confirm, I had to press around its chest and it squirmed in pain. I also checked the rest of the body for any serve injuries."

Brock was astonished by her quick diagnosis. He hadn't considered that possibility until now. His eyes looked at the ground. Was he cut out to be a doctor?

"Cheer up," Judy said while placing a hand on his shoulder. "A diagnosis like that takes several years to learn. It's why you need to go to school for a proper education."

"I wish it could that simple," Brock sighed.

Judy pressed her hands onto his cheeks so he would look at her. "Would you like to examine the other Pokémon here to see what's wrong with them? I'll tell you right from wrong and some tips."

"You would really do that?" He fought the urge to get onto his knees. This was a prime opportunity and he was not going to mess it up.

* * *

Ash watched his Pokémon play with Serena's Pokémon in the clearing in front of the base, deep in thought. Melanie treated him and his friends to some breakfast before she and the Professors entered an important meeting. One so important that they had to wait outside even after some protest. It was surprising considering their relation with Oak. Nonetheless, they waited under the promise they'll get to help with minor activities.

Pidgeotto, Ledyba, and Butterfree took to the skies to fly around. Misty decided to be by the pond to play with her Pokémon. Serena was by his side, blissfully watching the Pokémon play with Cleffa in her arms.

"What do you think was so important that we couldn't be in the base?" Ash asked while leaning onto the railing.

Serena shrugged as she lifted Cleffa into the air. "It could be a number of things. I'm sure it's all for the best when it comes to their project."

The young man looked up to the cloudless sky. "You're probably right. Though I wonder if this is what it's like to work on one of these projects for Daisy." The granddaughter of Oak had often made trips to different sites in alternation with Oak.

"You would know better than me," she giggled. "After all, Professor Oak and she called upon you whenever a Pokémon with issues came by the lab."

He chuckled and placed his hands behind his head. "I wouldn't compare helping one Pokémon at a time to get accustomed to the lab the same as converting an entire area into a restricted zone. You know I haven't worked with any Ranger or Guardian either."

The honey-blonde set Cleffa down and began twirling her hair. "I guess the Pokémon being hurt by humans reminded me of you bravely and heroically taking on those tasks." She then sighed. "I can't imagine leaving any of my Pokémon. That'll be too cruel."

"Yeah, me too," Ash looked at Pikachu, who was chasing Eevee. Then he closed his eyes. "I can still remember the raw anger and hatred within Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf."

Serena looked at him with a frown. "Is it that bad? What else did you feel?"

"It felt like meeting Pikachu all over again." He grabbed ahold of the railing with an iron grip. "The same empty feeling."

"You got Pikachu to trust in you. Maybe you might be able to do the same with them. At least, steps in the right direction."

Ash shrugged at the notion. "Something tells me they'll need more than a free pass to attack me to release that anger."

Serena smiled while hugging him. "If anyone can do it, I know you'll find a way."

The young man embraced her best friend. It reminded him of their first hug at the lab. It was a blissful feeling and it felt right. However, his eyes were drawn to the Pokémon who all were staring at the forest. He reluctantly broke away.

Strolling from the shadows was Bulbasaur and its friends. The Deerling ran over by some bushes to munch on some leaves. The Sunflora, Budew, and Cherubi bathed in the sunlight. The Oddish stuck around Bulbasaur. Nuzleaf hopped from the tree to land next to the Seed Pokémon. It had its arms crossed and stared at their Pokémon.

Cleffa jumped into the clearing and started to run towards the Deerling. "Cleffa! Fa. Fa. Clef."

One of the Deerling looked at it with a smile. "Deerling. Deer." It lowered its head.

The Star Shape Pokémon was about to climb onto Deerling's head until Nuzleaf hopped in front of Cleffa and pounded it away.

Cleffa rolled like a ball before coming to a stop to cry. "Cleffa!"

Serena rushed out to pick it up when Nuzleaf launched a Razor Leaf. She ducked and frowned. "What's the big idea?"

"Vee!" Eevee smacked its body into Nuzleaf. "Eevee!"

A series of Poison Needle was launched by Serena's Nidoran. "Nidoran!"

Nuzleaf dodged the attack by hopping back. The Deerling fled the area.

Ash furrowed his brow, wondering what its trainer did that made it so mad. He dashed over to Serena to help her up. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy," she sighed. Together they gazed upon Nuzleaf.

Pikachu and Ash's Nidoran joined in as a warning.

Ash looked around to see the other wild Pokémon cowering in fear. Despite Nuzleaf was the one who started it all, he knew he had to put an end to it. "Let's get Cleffa and head back inside before we start an incident."

"I will not allow that Nuzleaf to hit poor Cleffa when it did nothing wrong," Serena replied.

He understood the problem. He didn't like it either, but he didn't want to upset the other Pokémon.

Before he was able to say anything, Nuzleaf sprang into action. The leaf on its head imbued with grass energy and extended. It started to swing around like a helicopter blade.

Eevee fired off a Swift that was cut up into tiny pieces. Serena's Nidoran used Poison Sting that bounced off the spinning blade.

Pikachu used Thunderbolt to which Nuzleaf jumped in the air. Ash's Nidoran jumped in with a Peck attack.

Surprising to everyone, the Wily Pokémon spun around to slap Nidoran back down. It looked like it was about to attack again when a couple of vines ensnared it.

"Bulbasaur!" The Seed Pokémon yelled. "Bulba. Saur. Saur."

"Nuzleaf!" The Wily Pokemon shouted back. "Leaf. Nuz!"

Serena took the opportunity to get Cleffa. She gently rocked it while singing _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_. The Star Shape Pokémon calmed down before falling asleep. She returned her Pokémon.

Misty came up to them. "What's that Nuzleaf's problem? All Cleffa wanted to do was play."

"That's what I like to know," Serena placed her hands by her hips.

Ash studied both Pokémon. By reading their aura, he could tell they were not happy with one another.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur said. "Bulba." It looked at Serena.

"Leaf…" The Wily Pokémon replied.

Bulbasaur gently set its friend down. "Bulbasaur." It retracted its vines.

Nuzleaf looked at Serena and bowed. "Nuzleaf…"

"Is that supposed to be an apology?" Serena raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing."

The Wily Pokémon looked up with its eyes widened. Then it looked back towards the ground. "Leaf…"

"Honestly, I know you were hurt by a trainer but taking your anger and frustration on us isn't helping anyone," Serena sighed. "Please don't do that again!"

Misty crossed her arms. "Way to make it feel worst."

"Don't tell you wouldn't be upset if this happened to one of your Pokémon," Serena retorted.

Ash got in between them. "Let's cool it before the wild Pokémon here decides to take a side." He pointed at the scared Pokémon, hiding due to the conflict.

As the girls agreed, they heard an alarm blaring. Facing the base, they could see plenty of red lights flashing. They were about to head in when their flying type Pokémon returned.

"FREE!" Butterfree flew around in a circle around Ash.

"Ledyba!" The Five Star Pokémon released an unpleasant smell.

Pidgeotto flapped its wings while pointing with its beak towards a huge puff of black smoke. "Pidgeotto!"

Serena covered her mouth as her eyes budged. Misty clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Ash blinked several times in disbelief as his breathing slowed down. Flames could be seen barely above the trees. Without looking at the Pokémon, he could feel their collective fear and rage at the sight.

"Noctowl, fly me over there!" Rushing out of the base was Melanie. After releasing her Pokémon, she grabbed ahold of its feet and began flying towards the disaster. "Stay here you guys. I'll be back really soon."

Ash, Serena, and Misty rushed back inside to the computer room where Oak, Sakuragi, and Brock were looking over Judy's shoulder. The lights were no longer flashing and the alarm no longer sounding. A map of the area appeared on a digital screen. A big red dot was on the map with a blinking blue dot heading towards it. Then another red dot appeared in the opposite direction of the other dot. It was larger.

"Another fire?" Judy clenched her jaw. With the press of a few buttons on the keyboard, her eyes widened. "This one seems to be spreading faster too. At this rate, half the forest will be set on fire before Mel could respond."

"Can you call in another Ranger for assistance?" Sakuragi asked.

Judy shook her head. "I mean I can call people but the closest Ranger is still about an hour away. By that time, it'll be too late."

"Then let me handle it," Misty stated that shocked everyone.

"I can't just let you head there," Judy replied. "You have zero training in dealing with forest fires. My bosses will have my head if anything bad happens."

"As opposed to having an entire forest being burned down?" Misty retorted. "I have water-types that can at least slow it down until Melanie can handle her fire."

Oak placed a hand on Judy's shoulder. "This might go against your protocols so let me take her there and guide her Pokémon in dealing with the fire."

"But-"

"There's no time," Oak said. "The longer we argue, then more Pokémon will be injured because of this fire. I put my trust in these young adults."

Judy sighed while handing him an earpiece. "Keep this on at all times and give me updates every five minutes on the condition of the fire and status on the Pokémon. I'll radio in for some help just in case this situation gets any worse."

Oak placed it in his ear while nodding. Then he grabbed a bag on the floor. "Let's hurry!"

"Leave it all to me!" Misty said while running with him.

As soon as they left, another red dot appeared on the screen to everyone's dismay. If one were to connect the dots, it would form an equilateral triangle.

Ash clenched his jaw. He couldn't believe people would burn down a forest. "What's going on?"

Judy slammed her armrest. "This was no accident. This has to be some kind of coordinated attack." She pressed a big red button. "This is Judy of the Hidden Village base. Red Alert. Can anyone hear me?" Nothing. "Can anyone hear me?" Still nothing. She slid down in her chair with a hand in her hair.

"Let me head to the third fire location," Brock stepped up. "My rock-types might be able to slow it down."

The woman appeared apprehensive about it.

Sakuragi wrapped his arm around the former Gym Leader. "I'll guide him and give reports like Oak with Misty." She closed her eyes. "Considering backup is out of the question, I think it's imperative that we trust these people and use every possible resource we have."

Ash and Serena nodded in agreement. They wanted to help out too but none of their Pokémon were equipped to deal with the fires.

Judy sighed while handing everyone an earpiece. "Our long-range communication seems to be cut off, but I can still coordinate people within five miles of this base. Brock and Sakuragi, head to that third site and inform me of the status. Do what you can to slow it down. I'll get Melanie to head there after she stops her fire, assuming there isn't a more pressing matter."

Sakuragi grabbed a bag off the floor while saluting. "You won't regret this, Judy! I promise!"

"And I won't let you all down!" Brock said while chasing after Sakuragi.

"What can we do to help?" Serena asked.

"I need you two to gather the Pokémon inside along with any nearby ones," she said in a calm manner. "Alert me if you see any signs of a Hunter. No matter what, keep the Pokémon here safe."

Ash and Serena looked at one another before dashing towards the front of the base. They left the doors wide open as they grabbed ahold of the porch railing.

"Everyone, please get into the building!" Ash shouted.

"You'll be safe inside!" Serena added.

The wild Pokémon were hesitant at first until Bulbasaur got onto the porch. "Bulbasaur. Saur. Saur."

They gathered at the base with Ash and Serena stepping to the side. Then one of the Deerling was hit a mysterious beam of light. Right before their eyes, the Season Pokémon froze and turned into stone. It caused the other Pokémon to run inside faster with the other Deerling looking at their friend along with Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf. Soon after, four other Deerling were petrified as well.

Serena covered her mouth, unable to move.

Ash quickly pulled the remaining five Deerling up the stairs and into the base with Bulbasaur's help, shutting the door. His gaze then set its sights on a woman with silver hair, an arm cannon-device, a futuristic-looking goggle and black trench coat with blood-red undergarments. She rode on top of a dragon-like Pokémon with red crescent wings and blue scales.

"Who are you and what have you done to those Deerling?" Ash shouted. His hands formed fists as he narrowed his eyes in anger. His chest pounded while thinking of the Deerling. There had better be a way to reverse the effects. He first had to deal with her.

The woman simply laughed as floating platforms shot out to hover above the petrified Deerling. Glass casing dug into the ground as she did not answer.

"Pikachu use Iron Tail on the glass! Nidoran use Double Kick! Pidgeotto use Aerial Ace! Butterfree use Pysbeam!"

Serena took a deep breath while furrowing her brows. "Eevee, let's make her pay! Use Swift! You too Ledyba! Nidoran, break those casing with Double Kick!"

Their Pokémon's attacks hit their marks but the glass didn't shatter. Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf pitched in too to no avail.

Eevee and Nidoran combined their Swifts to shower the woman and her Pokémon.

She waved her arm across the air. "Pathetic. Salamence use Flamethrower!"

Salamence launched a devastating force of fire that went through the Swift and onto the ground, setting it on fire. The intensity of the heat caused their Pokémon to back away from the clearing.

The woman then pressed a button on her gauntlet. The five containment units started to move upward, taking a piece of ground with them. "Contract complete. Cargo on route to sector fifteen." She paused with a wicked smile on her face. "New target acquired. It's worth more than the contract. I won't be long. Hmm?"

Ash and Serena latched themselves onto two of the containment unit. They weight held it down as their Pokémon desperately tried to break the glass. They held on with all of their might. The other three flew away.

Bulbasaur wrapped its vines around the third with Nuzleaf pounding away with its Leaf Blade.

"Enough games!" The woman shouted while pressing another button on her gauntlet.

The glass suddenly shocked Ash and Serena, causing them to let go and falling onto the steps hard.

The unit that Nuzleaf and Bulbasaur held down instead emitted a high frequency sound. The Seed Pokémon retracted its vines as it and Nuzleaf tried to get their bearings.

Ash's and Serena's Pokémon did the same. Pikachu had one eye open as it could still see the electrified field around the other two units.

Ash rubbed his lower back as Pikachu pressed its body against the electrified glass. His little buddy absorbed the power and channeled it into zapping the containment unit that emitted sound. The device on top started to malfunction as it crashed to the ground. The other two flew away past the woman who had her jaw opened. Then it turned into a grin.

"This must be my lucky day," the hunter chucked. "You junior Rangers are going to make me very rich. I thank you for being completely stupid in gathering the Deerling in one convenient location and showing me a hidden ability Pikachu along with a shiny Bulbasaur."

Serena growled. "We're not going to let you get away with this…whoever you are!"

"Hunter J," she playfully bowed. "Remember the Hunter who ruin your day!" Quickly she fired off a several beams of light from her arm cannon.

The Pokémon scattered to sides of the base, but they couldn't make it far with all the fire. Ash and Serena got themselves up the porch, not wanting to find out what would happen if they were touched by it.

"PikaPi!" The Mouse Pokémon shouted.

"Vee!" The Evolution Pokémon cried.

Both trainers turned to see Pikachu turned into stone. Eevee was crying.

Ash couldn't believe his eyes. This had to be a nightmare at some kind. It was time to wake up if that was the case. Sadly, his chest tightened. Tears reached his eyes as his breathing became shallow.

"Nuzleaf!" The Wily Pokémon then shouted.

He barely turned to see Bulbasaur also had been turned into stone. Nuzleaf stood in front of it to guard its friend, but Hunter J fired off another shot.

Serena tackled Nuzleaf to the ground to avoid it being turned to stone as well. She held onto it tightly while closing her eyes. "You won't be taken nor will I let anyone hurt you."

"Leaf?"

"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon crashed into the wall of the base.

Ash snapped his attention towards Pikachu who was being encased in glass. "Oh no you don't!" He ran down the steps where Salamence whacked him with its tail. He was sent flying towards the right with his back slamming into a tree and landing on his stomach on the ground.

"ASH!" Serena cried out. She rushed over to the edge of the porch before turning around.

The young man weakly lifted his head. His back was killing him. His vision blurred before focusing to see Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and the remaining Deerling flying off into the forest with Hunter J. He dug his fingers into the dirt ground while grinding his teeth.

"Execute the escape plan!" Hunter J shouted.

Echoes of her laughter could be heard as the ground rumbled. More smoke could be seen heading into the sky from all directions that Ash could see as his eyes only focused on the fleeing Hunter J. He willed himself to stand on his feet. No matter the pain that he'll have to endure, he was going to save his little buddy along with any other Pokémon that was captured or in the wake of the destruction caused by that vile psychopath!

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts on the Pokemon Ranger and Hunter J stuff. You'll probably get a better sense of her character in the second part, but I hoped you liked the scheme I cooked up. **

**Next Time: Part 2**

**Questions you might have**

**Q: Why is Bulbasaur a shiny?**

**Charmander has seen a lot of love over the years so I decided to spread and share that love. To make it special, I decided to make it shiny. I hope you enjoy that or found it surprising.**

**Q: Who is Sakuragi? Will Gou and Kohou also show up?**

**He's a professor in the current run of the anime. We'll see and learn more of him next part and Vermillion City. As for the other characters, it's in the air. They could show up for one thing or another.**

**Q: Wasn't the Rainbow Hero supposed to have a fight with Ho-Oh?**

**Maybe in movie 20 and games, but we'll learn more about my version of the legend at a later and more appropriate time.**

**Q: Why is Hunter J taking in Deerling? Are they not common in Unova?**

**Just because they're common in Unova, doesn't mean they're common elsewhere. Some people are paying top dollar for them too. And they're in the region she's currently in as opposed to flying across the ocean. **

**Q: Aren't the disk platform devices suppose to be from the bottom instead of the top?**

**I mean it was difficult for me to explain how they would have been on the bottom considering they would have to be placed under the feet of the petrified Pokemon. Her goons are also elsewhere too. So the top made more sense to me and works basically the same from there. It also took a piece of the ground with them if that wasn't clear. **


	13. Pokemon Ranger and Hidden Village Part 2

**AN: I appreciate your patience with this one and leaving on a cliffhanger for a long time. I understand some of you would have preferred I continued instead but it would have bothered me. I don't plan on rewriting chapters again unless there's something majorly wrong with one of them.**

**If you haven't read this in a while, I would recommend rereading it. There are some major differences. The one minor one I will say is Brock's team consists of Steelix and Golem instead of Geodude and Onix**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Pokemon Ranger and the Hidden Village Part 2**

Ranger Melanie took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. The flames had spread too fast in a short amount of time. By her estimate, it had to have been a campfire that set it all off, meaning there was another group of travelers in the area. All she could think about was the Pokémon that must have made their home in the area and how many of them were going to be injured, trapped, and afraid.

Her grip on Noctowl tightened as the Pokémon soared faster and lower near the trees. When she was close enough, she let go of her Pokémon to land on a branch. From her backpack, she grabbed a facemask to filter out the smoke and technological goggles to zoom in on the fire and potential location of Pokémon, but she was getting ahead of herself.

"Golduck, Rain Dance!" She tossed out her Pokémon.

The Duck Pokémon quacked upon materializing, summoning rainclouds that covered a wide area over the fire. Smaller fires were snuffed out while the main brunt of force simmered down to reveal the Pokémon she had been searching and it was just as she had expected.

"Psychic to get those Pokémon to safety!" Melanie ordered. "Noctowl, use Hurricane above the trees!"

Golduck shifted gears to the injured Pokémon away from the flames and gathering them in a convenient location to extract later.

Noctowl soared higher into the sky. As it began to flap its wings, a series of Thunderbolt caused Noctowl to change its objective to evading.

The Ranger surveyed the area to see a group of Galvantulas located near the base of several trees. Standing next to them was a group of people in black tactical uniforms. Hunter J goons no doubt, so the rumors of her being in Kanto were true. Based on what she knew of the infamous Pokémon Hunter, she bit her lips as she fell for the distraction.

"Judy, sound the alarm. Hunter J is in the area."

"Already tried," Judy grimly said. "We're being jammed on all frequency. We're lucky we still have a signal within five miles of the base. You should know that I dispatched the professors to two other fires. They're being accompanied by Misty and Brock."

Melanie hopped down branch after branch as the goons discovered her location. A bombardment of Electro Balls slammed into the tree with each movement she made until she landed on the ground. "Our badges are on the line when the Union finds out about this. Warn them of Hunter J." She shifted her focus. "Golduck, you're on rescue duty."

Golduck nodded while rushing into the fire and blasted the fire with Hydro Pump and then using Psychic to move Pokémon or branches off of Pokémon liked its training.

Noctowl was still being targeted. Given that they were outnumbered ten to one, it was going to be difficult for it to launch a counter-attack.

Melanie grabbed another Pokéball to call from. "Gliscor, Stone Edge on those Galvantulas!"

Materializing was Gliscor, a purple flying scorpion with a nasty tail and scary yellow eyes. It glided in the air, conjured stones to launch at the bug-electric-types.

The Galvantulas scattered along with the goons.

"Energy Ball!" The goons shouted.

"Poison Jab!" Melanie countered.

Grassy balls of energy were launched from all angles upon Gliscor.

The Fang Scorp Pokémon used its poisonous claw to slice the Energy Balls in half while gliding closer to one of them to strike.

"Noctowl, use Hurricane and then Psychic to help Gliscor!" Melanie shouted.

The Owl Pokémon summoned a hurricane with its wings, gathering up the water, only to end its attack moments later to have the waterfall down, and dosing a good portion of the flames. Then it dove down, lifting the bug-electric-types out of the trees for Gliscor to pound.

"You have to hurry, Mel," Judy said in a hurry. "Hunter J targeted the Deerling and she managed to get ahold of Bulbasaur and Ash's Pikachu."

"What are Ash and Serena doing?"

Judy was silent.

"Thunderbolt!" Half the goons ordered.

"Throat Chop!" The other half ordered.

Noctowl was zapped, causing its Psychic attack to fail.

Some of the Galvantula took advantage of the situation and fell on top of Gliscor, pounding it to the ground.

Melanie gritted her teeth for making such a stupid mistake. "Stone Edge, Gliscor! Air Slash, Noctowl!"

Gliscor shredded through the Galvantula with rocks flying in the air. Noctowl raid them with compressed air balls.

"It appears they're chasing Hunter J," Judy stated with a sigh.

Melanie closed her eyes and shook her head. She should have been able to prevent this attack, but that was all in the past. "Gliscor, use Sandstorm! Noctowl, use Hurricane!"

Her Pokémon created a combination move with strong winds, sand, and water flying all over the place. It provided the perfect cover for the Ranger as she surveyed her surroundings. It was not long before she found the perfect Pokémon to aid her in this situation. It was a Scyther, flying away from the fire and towards her.

The Ranger aimed her Capture Styler arm device at the Pokémon with one eye closed. With the press of a button, she launched a Capture Disc that swirled around the bug-flying-type much to its confusion. Melanie rotational her arm in unison with the Capture Disc and timed it right to befriend it. The disc was absorbed into Scyther and it landed in front of Melanie.

Quickly, she strapped a beacon onto its arm that blinked red. "Fly as high and far away as you can. Protect the device with your life!" She pointed towards her left.

Scyther nodded and took off.

"Judy, tell Ash and Serena that I'll get to their location as soon as possible," Melanie stated while turning her back to the action.

* * *

Professor Oak hopped out of the car with Misty following his lead. They ran deep into the forest until the smoke became too thick to breathe through. The Professor took a deep breath to calm his frustrations. Whoever was responsible for the fire was going pay for the damage they had caused to the trust between Pokémon and humans. He studied his tablet to formulate the best possible way to tackle the fire.

"Alright, first we need it to rain," he informed Misty.

The Water Type Specialist nodded, releasing a couple of her Pokémon. "Seadra, Rain Dance! Starmie, Rapid Spin, and Hydro Pump!"

The Seadra appeared in her arms as it cooed to the skies to summon rain. The air became more breathable as some of the fire simmered down.

Professor Oak was impressed with Misty's command with Starmie as the Mysterious Pokémon spun around while unleashing water to help douse the flames faster.

"Excellent work," he complimented. "Now, it's my turn." He grabbed a Pokéball from his lab coat. "Venasaur, use Vine Whip to grab those Pokémon!"

His trusty old friend appeared, unfazed by the fire. In one swift motion, its vines grabbed ahold of Pokémon stuck in trees and laying on the ground.

Misty had her jaw wide open. "I can't believe I get to see your legendary Venasaur in action!"

"Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet," the Professor chuckled.

"Flamethrower!" Shouted multiple voices.

"Thunderbolt!" Shouted more voices.

Flames and lightning shot out from both sides. The flames enveloped Venasaur while the electricity zapped Starmie.

Venasaur shook off the flames and quickly set down the rescued Pokémon while Starmie flopped on the ground. The Mysterious Pokémon got up.

Appearing from the forest were a group of Zangoose and hunters.

Professor Oak sighed. He had hoped he and Misty were going to be able to focus on the fire alone. He should have figured that they were not dealing with amateurs.

"Professor Oak, I'm afraid we're dealing with Hunter J," Judy informed him over the earpiece.

"Yes, Judy," he replied. "We just ran into her goons. I suppose backup is out of the question." He grabbed another Pokéball from his pocket. "Dragonite, unleash all of your power with Extreme Speed and Dragon Claw!"

Dragonite appeared for a brief moment to the naked eye. Each of the Zangoose was punched before Dragonite reappeared, flying above Venasaur. It must be angry to see the forest on fire.

Professor Oak turned to Misty and handed her the tablet. "Deal with the fire and take Venasaur with you. Use Grassy Terrain to help heal the dead area."

Misty shook her head. "No way! I'm not leaving you here to fight a battle that you're outnumbered. We'll be stronger together."

"Perhaps but we don't have a choice," he turned to face her. "The longer we don't deal with the fire and save those Pokémon, the worst their injuries will be. Besides, Dragonite is more than enough to take on these goons. Now go!"

Misty sighed while examining the tablet. "Seadra, Smokescreen!"

Smoke filled the area, masking their escape.

"Dragonite, buy them time with Thunder!" Professor Oak ordered.

* * *

Professor Sakuragi stared at the flames with determination to put an end to it as fast as possible. Deep down, he was glad that he decided not to take his son and daughter to the Ranger base just to be the cool dad. This was certainly a disaster even if it would make a decent story to tell them. That was assuming this story had a happy ending.

The Professor studied the area, adjusting his glasses to see if any Pokémon was in sight. While he couldn't see them, he could hear their cries. "If we're unable to see them then we'll either need to sniff them out or locate them with a Pokémon that uses sound as sight."

Brock nodded while sending out his Pokémon. "Golem, Ancient Power on the fire! Zubat, locate Pokémon! Steelix, use Dig to burrow a hole for Pokémon to escape and then Sand Tomb!"

Golem appeared, conjuring rocks to place on top of the fire and sniffing them out.

Zubat did not hesitate to fly through the smoke and fire to talk to Pokémon.

Steelix burrowed underground, appearing down the path where it began swirling sand to simmer some of the fire. With Zubat leading the way, several Pokémon began climbing down the hole. On top of that, Steelix floated into the air to carry Pokémon down from the trees.

"Excellent, lad!" Professor Sakuragi was impressed with the former Gym Leader's thinking. He was most impressed by Steelix braving the flames despite it being a steel-type.

"Let's not try to get ahead of ourselves now," Brock sighed. "We still have a wide area to cover and I'm worried about Ash and Serena. I'm sure they would have liked to come here to help instead of staying at the base."

The Professor scratched his chin. He agreed upon not getting ahead of himself considering Pokémon Hunters could be in the area. Based on everything that he knew of Professor Oak's pupils, he couldn't deny the frustration they might feel but then again there was more than one way to help in times of distress. "Maybe they're antsy but whatever Judy is having them do, I'm sure it has value."

Brock cracked a weak smile while assessing his Pokémon's progress.

"Earthquake!" Shouted several people.

The ground shook violently, causing Brock and Professor Sakuragi to fall over. Golem stopped dead in its tracks with its eyes closed. Steelix struggled to maintain its balance on the ground. Several Pokémon tried to hop out of the hole that Steelix dug but fell back in, taking additional damage.

Trampling onto the path was a group of Tyranitars with their trainer riding their back. No doubt they were Hunters, following some kind of order.

"Hunter J's goons will slow down your progress so be careful," Judy warned.

"Nice to know, and don't worry," the Professor answered. "Brock and I won't let them stop us from preserving the area." From his lab coat, he pulled out a Pokéball. "Corviknight, Iron Head!"

Materializing was a raven-like bird with black, steel feathers. Without hesitating, it charged towards the misguided Pokémon.

"Dark Pulse!" The goons countered.

"Steelix, Iron Tail!" Brock ordered. "Golem, help the Pokémon underground with Dig. Zubat, continue to help Pokémon!"

The Tyranitars fired a pulse of darkness that collided with Corviknight head-on. The Raven Pokémon powered through to hit one in the stomach. Steelix came from behind to slam its tail into another.

Golem dug out the Pokémon and started to get them to a safer place while Zubat disappeared into the woods.

"Fire Punch!" The goons shouted.

"Sandstorm!" Brock said unexpectedly.

Steelix blinded everyone with a massive sandstorm.

Professor Sakuragi wondered why as it provided them with no strategic advantage given everyone was a rock-type or steel type. Then he noticed a pendant that Brock took out.

"Steelix, it's time to Mega-Evolve!" Brock held out his pendant and the radiant light of Mega-Evolution reached out into the sandstorm to empower Steelix.

The Iron Snake Pokémon changed forms with crystal-like structures taking over some of its steel ridges. When the light faded, Steelix hovered over the raging storm.

Brock furrowed his brows. "Let's show them the true meaning of being a Trainer! Sand Tomb!"

The sandstorm started to swirl around the Tyranitars. Not only was Steelix power levels increased but it had the ability Sand Force that empowered its attack even further.

"I can see how you managed to maintain a position of Gym Leader," the Professor stated. "But let's not forget why we're here. Corviknight, help Steelix with Steel Wing!" He pulled out another Pokéball. "Centiskorch, absorb the fire!"

Materializing was a centipede-like Pokémon with flames resembling an 'X'. The bug-fire-type immediately crawled into the hole and appearing on the other side, heading to one of the flames and absorbing it into its body due to its Flash Fire ability.

"Looks like you're full of surprises as well," Brock chuckled. "It's amazing to see two Galar Pokémon. I also never would have thought of Flash Fire being able to help put out a fire."

"Let's just say I had one too many vacations in that region, for now, lad," he replied. "You also need to thank Professor Elm for that discovery. Now, let's distract them while Centiskorch deals with calming the flames."

* * *

Flames spread across the clearing quicker than Ash could move. His body was on fire in pain but all he could think about was the Pokémon being taken before his eyes, especially Pikachu. He sent Pidgeotto to pursue the Hunter while he tried to get around the fire. The only thing stopping him was the fact Serena was here. How could he abandon her in a crisis like this even if his starter was taken?

Serena cowered up against the door with Ledyba, Eevee, Nuzleaf, the Nidorans, and Butterfree. While they could probably head inside the building, they probably wanted to help save those Pokémon, but how was he going to simmer the flame? Even if he could put out the fire here, there was no telling the path to wherever Hunter J was heading.

Droplets of water fell onto his skin. Looking to see rainclouds. Heavy rain swept the area, simmering the flames. He was mystified at first, wondering if Ranger Melanie was in the area, but as far as he could tell, she was not. Maybe another Pokémon performed Rain Dance? Even still, this one seemed too strong for one Pokémon to muster.

He pushed those thoughts to the side, not caring whether that was luck or something else. He didn't hesitate to run down the path Hunter J took, motioning his Pokémon and best friend to follow. "Come on! We're wasting time!" His Pokémon followed.

"Hold on, Ash!" Serena shouted. "You should take it easy! Let's wait for Melanie to come back!"

Every fiber in his body ached, but he continued to push past the pain. He shook his head, looking over his shoulder. "This Hunter has already thought of ten moves ahead. If we wait, then she'll escape! I'll be fine!"

"But Ash, our Pokémon can't match that Salamence!"

"It doesn't matter when she has Pikachu," Ash pressed on.

Serena caught up with him and held onto his arm, yanking it with all of her might but Ash's strength was stronger so he easily escaped. "Think this through! Together we won't be able to defeat her."

"Not with that attitude!" Ash shouted back, turning around with a sigh. "If this was Eevee that was stolen, you wouldn't stop perusing Hunter J until you either managed to be successful or failed trying!"

She was silent with the Pokémon gathered including Nuzleaf.

"I'm not pretending we're able to defeat her alone, but if we think about it, we don't have to beat her." Ash puffed while rubbing his back. "All we have to do is either stall her until Melanie arrives or we save them and run away."

"I want to save them as much as you do, but you're in no condition to play hero," Serena sighed. "I can't stand it if anything happens to you."

Ash looked at the ground, turning his back on Serena. "What happened to facing our problems together? I haven't said a word about you following me and yet you're badgering me at a time like this on not heading into danger? We're wasting time arguing."

"We're also wasting time finding a needle in a haystack," Serena sighed. "Aide Pidgeotto searching from the skies, by the time we reach Hunter J, she's probably going to be long gone. If we want to save those Pokémon, we have to reach section 15, wherever that is…"

The future Pokémon Master let out a big sigh, closing his eyes, and realizing that his best friend had a point. With Hunter J's head start, it was foolish to expect her to stay in one location for long. They needed a direction and need it now. He focused on locating Pikachu's aura through the dense forest.

The air around him felt warmer as the essence of aura flowed outward and into him. Through the darkness of his eyelids, shapes started to form of trees, leaves, grass, the Pokémon, and Serena. He ignored Serena's voice for the moment as she discussed what had transpired with Judy.

His Aura Sight diameter expanded further than what he had practiced. He couldn't fail to locate his best bud. This had to work no matter what. He scanned the area quickly without a single trace. While discouraging at first, he didn't stop scanning every inch in the area for any signs until he felt Pidgeotto's aura and near it was Pikachu.

Further beyond them was a dark void, possibly Hunter J. The more he concentrated on it, the more he was sure that Pidgeotto had found them and doing its best to keep the Hunter busy.

Ash snapped his eyes opened getting a clear enough mental map of the quickest possible route to their location. Unexpectedly, his back seemingly was healed and he was able to run with his full capabilities if not even better. Did he enhance his physical abilities or was this a side effect of aura?

"Did you just use Aura to locate Pikachu?" Serena asked.

He nodded as it was not the time for them to hold grudges over a promise. "Only option without losing too much time. Pidgeotto seems to be distracting Hunter J, but it might not last long. We have to hurry."

"According to Judy, we might be able to break the Pokémon free from those containment units," Serena stated. "We might not have noticed before but there were buttons on top of those units. One of them is supposed to restore the Pokémon to normal and even remove the glass."

"So we can't even destroy the glass?" Ash asked for clarification.

Serena caught up with his pace and shook her head. "It's a special kind of glass that's able to absorb all sorts of attacks. Maybe if we had a strong enough Pokémon, but Judy said it could withstand a Machamp punching it."

Ash cursed how much technology had gotten better over the years as a Machamp was able to move a mountain with one of their arms supposedly. Brute force wasn't going to be enough to beat Hunter J and it looked like he needed some of his clever tactics to save Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Deerling.

"Nuzleaf, you should go back and protect your friends," Serena stated.

The young man couldn't help but to agree as it doing its own thing might mess with how they approach the save. Then he turned to Nuzleaf with great interest.

* * *

Streams of fire ascended in the sky as Pidgeotto flew in circles around Salamence with Quick Attack. Wisely, it used the containment units as cover even if those units were using some kind of sonic and electrical technology as scared tactics.

Serena couldn't believe how much alike Pidgeotto was to Ash. Both of them were stubborn to the end. In this case, she supposed it was a good thing. Talk about hypocrisy with the promise she had suggested. Now she was unsure whether Ash was upset with her or trying to put on a brave face for Pikachu's sake. He was right. That she couldn't deny. The only way to make it up to him in her mind was to help him save Pikachu at the very least.

Both of them raced to a clearing with a cliff with a river beneath it. Their collective Pokémon team joined in the fight.

Butterfree tossed several rocks towards Salamence using its psychic powers. Both Nidorans unleashed Poison Sting. Ledyba used Silver Wind. Eevee used Swift at the containment units.

The dragon-type ascended with Hunter J barely batting an eyelash.

Serena could barely believe such a callous woman existed. If only she wasn't so high up. She wanted to give her a piece of her mind or fist for bringing so much pain to not only her best friend but everyone that she had hurt with her antics.

Their Pokémon then moved onto attacking the containment units again. This time, they were trying to bring them closer to the teens.

"Dragon Pulse!" Hunter J commanded.

Salamence fired a mystical white, glittery energy at Butterfree.

The Butterfly Pokémon barely evaded the attack with it striking the ground, shaking it violently.

Ash and Serena held their grounds while facing Hunter J.

"I must admit, you're more persistent than I thought," Hunter J scoffed. "Maybe even lucky that multiple water-types were in this area that knew Rain Dance. At least, more than I anticipated. Nevertheless, accept that I've won and I'll spare your Pokémon the experience of being petrified and taken as well."

Ash returned his exhausted Pidgeotto and narrowed his eyes. "Better idea, why don't you surrender before an army of Pokémon Rangers come to this area? They're not going to let you get away with any of this!"

The Hunter smirked while shaking her head. "I'm wanted in all the regions for several years. If the Rangers, International Police, and Guardians were competent, they would have caught me by now. Besides, no one is showing up. I've jammed all communications beyond a five-mile radius. Even if that didn't occur, the closest Ranger is approximately an hour away. By all accounts, checkmate."

"It's not over yet!" Serena stepped up. "You haven't defeated us."

"Then let me correct this insignificant oversight." Hunter J waved her arm across the air. "Flamethrower!"

"Eevee, Helping Hands on Butterfree!" Serena shouted. "Ledyba, Protect as long as you can! Nidoran, aim for the top of Bulbasaur's containment unit with Poison Sting!"

Ash gave her a nod. "Butterfree, Confusion, and shut its mouth! Nidoran, support Nidoran!"

Ledyba protected everyone with its green bubble. Serena was proud to see how much stronger the bubble had become after Mt. Moon in its training. Still, it won't last forever.

The Evolution Pokémon clapped its paws, empowering Butterfree.

Butterfree used its newfound power to angle Salamence's attack to be straighter, unfortunately burning some of the leaves behind them. Then the Butterfly Pokémon shut the dragon-type's mouth.

"Swift and Silver Wind!" Serena commanded.

Star-bolts and silver crescents rained upon the underbelly of Salamence.

The dragon-type did not look fazed by the attacks.

"Gust at Hunter J!" Ash ordered.

Butterfree flew in closer while flapping its wings with the stream of wind pressing upon Hunter J.

Hunter J kneed on the back of Salamence, tapping it while aiming her arm cannon. "Here I thought I provided you enough information to run home to forget all about these valuable Pokémon but if you want to be crushed then I'll happily oblige!"

Salamance flapped its wings with a strong ominous feel brushing through the air and counteracting Butterfree's Gust, Eevee's Swift, and Ledyba's Silver Wind.

The Hunter fired off beams of light at Butterfree.

The bug-flying-type twirled and flew higher and away.

"Now Ledyba!" Serena shouted. "Free Pikachu!"

Ledyba sped its way towards the containment unit that held Pikachu.

Hunter J turned her head. "Not clever enough." She appeared to have pressed a button on her gauntlet while Salamence flew closer to the containment units.

"Oh no, you don't! Sleep Powder and Gust!" Ash ordered.

Butterfree swiftly blew Sleep Powder downward, causing Hunter J to divert.

Ledyba glanced at the top of the containment unit until a high pitch sound was emitted once again. The Five Star Pokémon held its head with one eye opened. All of their Pokémon were enduring the pain.

Serena couldn't stand seeing all of them in pain and pressed into the earpiece she was given. "Judy, we're engaged with Hunter J, trying to save Bulbasaur and Pikachu. She's momentarily distracted but we need to know how to stop a high pitch frequency that's causing our Pokémon pain or how to free them now!"

"Nidoran get on top of Butterfree and jump in for a Horn Attack!" Ash shouted.

Butterfree flew low enough for Nidoran to use it as a springboard towards the top of Bulbasaur's containment unit. With its horn, it managed to knock it closer to the ground while landing on top of it. There, it kept one eye open while trying to hold on for dear life.

"Serena, I believe there's a slider on the top that controls the petrification level," Judy said. "This is based on several reports of the containment unit she uses. Once you save Pikachu, I want you to run as far as you can."

"We can't until we save all of them," Serena retorted. "We're so close."

"Don't fool yourself," Judy warned. "She's probably toying with you for one reason or another. Melanie is engaged with many of her goons. By capturing them, we'll be able to find her one day."

Serena sighed while looking at Ash who was focused on the battle and commanding his Pokémon. For the most part, his plan has been working. They just needed more time. Melanie had to come just like Giovanni, Riley, and Ilene came to their rescue before.

Hunter J recomposed herself and flicked her silver hair. "Humph to think I'm considering using this move with the cargo in the way, but I suppose it's the only way for you to understand who you're dealing with. Draco Meteor!"

Salamence aimed its mouth towards the sky with orange energy surrounding its body. That energy poured out of its mouth in the form of an orb that shot into the sky.

"Ledyba, pull down a slider!" Serena shouted with her eyes widened, hoping it could save Pikachu in time.

"You too, Nidoran!" Ash yelled while running underneath Pikachu's containment unit.

Nidoran did it without hesitation before falling off the containment unit.

Bulbasaur was magically restored with the glass disappearing, causing it to fall too.

"I don't think so," Hunter J said while Salamence flying backward. Serval shots from her arm cannon began raining down.

Ash returned his Nidoran while throwing a Pokéball. The capture device hit Bulbasaur to its surprised. Without a struggle, it was caught.

Hunter J swooped down with Salamence to catch the ball. "Nice try but you only just made transporting this shiny easier."

Ash smirked while pressing a button on his phone.

The ball disappeared to Hunter J's surprise. "What?"

"I guess you didn't know I had six Pokémon on hand," Ash chuckled. "Now it's far away, where you will never find it."

"Never say never," Hunter J furrowed her brows before smirking. "I must admit, that was clever but I still win." Salamence ascended away with the containment units moving as well.

The orb reached its peak and exploded like fireworks, raining meteors. The Pokemon did their best to evade but it was no use. The aftershock of them crashing was too strong for any of them to withstand, blowing them to the sky or falling.

Ash and Serena returned their Pokemon with the excepting of Eevee, who miraculously got back up. It began limping its way over to the cliff.

The ground shook violently with dust clouds filling the area. Serena maintained her concentration, focusing on Eevee's movements. Her heart raced, not knowing what the Evolution Pokemon was doing. Then she saw scrap from Pikachu's containment unit falling follow by Ledyba and Pikachu.

Eevee jumped off the cliff to Serena's horror.

"Pikachu!" Ash ran through the smoke and shaking of the ground to hop off the cliff as well.

Serena's eyes widened as her legs had a mind of their own. She followed Ash's lead and jumped off the cliff, diving down to catch up to her best friend and Pokemon.

Ash not only managed to grab ahold of Pikachu but he also had Ledyba in his arms as well. He managed to flip onto his back while falling with their eyes meeting.

The honey-blonde reached down for Eevee and sucked it in towards her arms. The rushing water was in her view so she closed her eyes with the last image she remembered seeing was a Gyrados popping out to swallow them whole.

* * *

Ash's eyes fluttered open with his vision blurred. The last thing he remembered was falling into a river with…Serena! He rose from his resting position to look around the room to see Serena sleeping in the bed next to him. He let out a sigh of relief but his mind wandered about Pikachu. He did not see his little buddy but got the feeling he was in some kind of room in the Ranger Union.

As if on cue, Brock walked in with a surprised look on his face. "Everyone, Ash's awake."

Entering the room after the former Gym Leader was Misty, the Professors, Judy, Melanie, and a man with blonde spiky hair, also in a ranger's uniform. He had a smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes. Similarly with Melanie, Judy, and the Professors.

"Glad to see you're alright, kid," the man chuckled. "You and your girlfriend would have been toast without my intervention."

Judy elbowed him. "Excuse you. Melanie was wise enough to send an SOS signal from that Scyther. Without her, you wouldn't have been there!"

"Well fine, I won't come next time to deal with a Hunter that got you all on the rope," Jack crossed his arms. "The Ranger Union would have had your heads if I didn't take credit for the fires that the Professors helped to stop."

Melanie shook her head. "Enough. Regardless of the good, we did in saving what we could of the forest and the Pokémon, we ultimately failed in stopping Hunter J. Who knows when she plans on showing up again?"

Ash grimaced at the news and blinked a few times. "Where's Pikachu? How's Bulbasaur?"

Professor Oak sat down on the bed. "All of your Pokémon were in rough shape, my boy. Judy along with Brock have been taking care of them until several other Rangers came to assist in the restoration of the forest. They'll be fine along with Bulbasaur. Quite clever to catch Nuzleaf so that you could transport Bulbasaur to the lab. I've already released Nuzleaf for you and Daisy is working on transporting it here."

Ash grabbed the sheets while looking down. He should be happy that his little buddy was safe along with Bulbasaur but deep down, he felt horrible. He failed to save the remaining Deerling from being sold on the black market. The Seed Pokémon wouldn't like to hear that when it gets there.

Serena started to move that caught Ash's eyes. She rose quickly before Misty caught her and gently pushed her down too. The honey-blonde started to relax upon seeing everyone. One look at everyone's face and she became worried about the Pokémon. A few tears fell on her cheek after learning of the Deerling's fate.

Misty held her while patting her back. "It's not your fault guys. We all fell for Hunter J's trap."

Brock nodded and folded his arms. "You did what you could and you should feel proud at least for saving Pikachu and Bulbasaur. She certainly won't be happy to lose such a huge score."

"Indeed, lad," Professor Sakuragi stated. "We must look on the bright side or else be consumed with the darkness of guilt."

Ash closed his eyes, breathing in deep breathes to suppress the anger inside. Once again, he was not strong enough to defeat the bad guys. Opening his eyes, he stared across to see Serena's face, still crying. He didn't want her to feel or look that way again. He didn't want to feel hopeless again as his eyes met with Misty.

Misty gave him a nod, understanding that he wanted to double his efforts in his training. He wouldn't complain about waking up early nor any workout. As long as he became strong enough to protect his friends and Pokémon. That was all that mattered.

Jack stood in front of him and placing a hand upon his shoulder. "I can see the fury in your eyes. Power alone can only get you so far. Don't push yourself too hard, especially when Jack Walker is on the case. I promise you that I'll be the one to arrest Hunter J and make sure she pays for every crime she had committed. Mark my words."

Ash sighed, wondering if it was that obvious to everyone that he wanted to become stronger. Maybe he had it in his head that Rangers always saved the day, but he didn't believe the ranger. Finally, he nodded.

"Now, get some rest," Jack smirked. "You'll need your strength if you want to get to the Pokémon League after all."

Everyone started to leave the room with Serena resting, her body turned to face Ash. The young man continued to sit upright, looking at his hands, and replaying what had occurred in the forest.

"I'm sorry…" Serena spoke softly.

Ash turned to his best friend, remembering their little argument. He sighed and silently stared.

"I fear the worst whenever you do something reckless." Serena closed her eyes. "It's like a reflex that I can't help to feel. I thought that if I joined you, I won't feel that way but I suppose I just can't change who I am. Perhaps it was foolish of me to think you'll sit around with Pikachu in jeopardy. Do you forgive me?"

The young man thought about it. How would he have acted if the roles were reversed? He guessed in a pretty similar manner in trying to stop her from hurting herself more. He nodded. "I understand that you were worried and I sometimes do risk my life. I can't promise you that I won't stop doing that. Do you accept that?"

Serena held her blanket tighter, took a deep breath, and sighed. "I'll try my best…"

Ash cracked a weak smile while laying back down, resting until the following day. He woke up to his Pokémon gathering around him. Similarly, Serena's Pokémon joined Serena in her bed. The two were happy to see their Pokémon, even if they were bandaged up in one way or another except for Pikachu and Eevee. Surprisingly, Nuzleaf was part of the party on Serena's side. It crossed its arms with a smile.

They headed outside where everyone was gathered after some breakfast. Everyone was waiting for the courtier to deliver Bulbasaur's Pokéball. Daisy sent it on Dragonite Express very early morning.

Professor Sakurgai approached Brock with his hands behind his back. "With all of the commotion yesterday, I realize that I forgot to properly thank you for your quick thinking and action against those goons."

"Oh, no need," Brock shook his head. "I would do it all again in a heartbeat."

"Spoken like a true Gym Leader," Sakuragi laughed. "But I must insist." From behind, he handed Brock a tablet.

Brock raised his eyebrows. "Uh…what's this?"

"I've talked to Judy and Professor Oak," Sakuragi said. "I was surprised to find out you wanted to be a doctor without proper education. On it, there are training videos that Rangers used to treat Pokémon. Perhaps you'll find them useful. On top of that, Professor Oak and I agree that our assistants can also provide you with lessons over video."

"Y-You really mean it?" Brock asked.

Judy chuckled. "Aside from your manors, I believe you deserve to reach your dreams even if this is a roundabout way of doing it. Of course, I would be happy to provide some lessons too as long as you don't hit on me."

Brock's arms shook, probably from excitement. "I can't thank you enough."

Ash smiled at how Brock was achieving his dream. After traveling with him for a while, he believed he deserved it.

Professor Oak handed Misty a tablet as well. "Perhaps this will help with your coaching for Ash. It has some of my son's training programs that you might get some inspiration from. And you might be able to collect data and use them to improve Ash's decision-making."

"No way!" Misty browsed through the apps and video selections. "This is exactly what we needed to bring our battling skills to the next level." She gave Ash a thumbs up.

Ash wondered if Professor Oak endorsed his plan on training extra hard. Either way, he stared back at Misty with determination.

Nuzleaf hovered around Serena, appearing to be proud.

The honey-blonde crouched down with Eevee on her shoulder. "Is something the matter?"

"Leaf. Nuzleaf." It pointed at her bag.

Serena thought about it and released Cleffa into her arms. "Did you have something to say to Cleffa?"

"Nuzleaf. Nuz," it said.

Cleffa hopped down and around the grass-type. "Cleffa!"

"Looks like it accepted," Serena laughed. "That means I forgive you too."

Nuzleaf looked down and pointed at the Pokéball. "Leaf."

Serena's eyes widened. "Do you want to come with me?"

The Wily Pokémon nodded. "Nuzleaf."

Melanie giggled. "I suppose it appreciated that you managed to protect it and save its friend. Maybe it believes it can trust people again."

"Welcome to the team!" Serena held out a ball where the Wily Pokémon allowed itself to be captured again. "Alright! I caught a Nuzleaf!" Eevee and Cleffa joined in on the fun too.

_Gender: Male  
__Ability: Chlorophyll  
__Nature: Adamant_

Soon after, a Dragonite landed in the area with the courtier hopping off, shuffling through his bag and handed Professor Oak a box. Inside the box was Bulbasaur's Pokéball. He handed the ball to Ash.

In his hand, he squeezed it and took a deep breath before releasing Bulbasaur.

The Seed Pokémon appeared to be sad. Scratch that, he was sad. Maybe heartbroken over what had happened. It began walking towards the forest where all of its friends gathered around it. Briefly, it was happy. Then it shook its head with a few tears falling down its cheek.

Melanie crouched down to Bulbasaur's level while petting it. "I'm sorry, Bulbasaur, but I think it'll be best if you stayed with Ash."

"Bulba?" The color drained from its eyes. "Bulbasaur. Saur!"

The Ranger sighed and closed her eyes. "It's not that you've done a horrible job. I think the Pokémon here appreciate you showing them the way. The issue is that they've become too reliant on the Ranger Union to protect, feed, and nurse them back to health. While we're happy to help, it doesn't help them learn how to protect themselves."

Bulbasaur shook its head and began whipping Melanie across the face. "Bulbasaur!"

Ash could feel the rage and who could blame it? Melanie essentially told it that it was at fault for its friends being taken away. He decided to approach from behind and pick it up, enduring the Vine Whips despite some protests from his friends.

"Are you crazy?" Misty asked.

Serena closed her eyes.

Brock crossed his arms. "I hate to admit but maybe it's better off in the woods."

"Unfortunately then we're back to square one with Bulbasaur protecting Pokémon that need to learn how to survive by themselves," Professor Oak sighed.

Professor Sakuragi nodded. "If the stories about this young lad are true, then I believe we have nothing to worry about."

Ash held onto Bulbasaur as tightly as he could, struggling to maintain his hold. "You feel as if you failed alone. That it was only your responsibility to protect those Pokémon. Well, guess what, they were our responsibility too! And we failed!" Tears fell down his cheek, dripping onto Bulbasaur's head.

The Seed Pokémon stopped momentarily to look up.

"Melanie isn't suggesting that you abandon any of your friends," he exhaled sharply. "She wants you to travel with me because I want to become a Pokémon Master. I'm finding ways to unlock a Pokémon's true potential. I can help you become stronger so that someday you won't fail your friends or be helpless to do anything. I too don't want to fail my friends in achieving their dreams nor be helpless to protect them. Let's help each other out. What do you say?"

Bulbasaur looked upward with it blinking away a few tears. It retracted its vines and nodded.

Ash returned it to his ball and held onto the Pokéball with a tight grip and close to his chest. His eyes were closed while silently promising Bulbasaur that he'll do everything in his power to make it stronger and maybe one day, he could fulfill its goal of saving its friends.

* * *

Mew floated in a nearby tree, watching Ash and friends. Lots of amazing moments but she too felt bad about Bulbasaur losing its friends. Maybe one day, it'll have a chance to save it. She was happy to see how Ash had been developing but wondered if it was too slow. Then again, the time of crisis has not come yet. There was still plenty of time.

The New Species Pokémon flew away to a secluded area to transform into Zygarde and used its power to restore nature in the area. The grass began to become greener, leaves started to grow back, and flowers bloomed. Mew traveled from spot-to-spot to restore the area without being seen by anyone.

* * *

Hunter J sat back in her hair while looking at a digital screen. Her software program had located every point where Ash and Serena had been seen by some sort of camera. She wanted to learn everything about them so the next time they meet, she could crush their hopes and dreams.

A button on her chair began blinking. She read the last bit of information before answering the call. A shadowy figure appeared on the screen with long hair. His voice was deep and mysterious. "I'm pleased with how you dealt with the Rangers and delivered what we agreed upon."

"Humph," Hunter J scoffed. "Such an easy target. I'm rather surprise considering you could head to Unova if you wanted Deerling so badly. I doubt you were testing me to see if I was capable of taking Pokémon but rather some of my tactical wits and willingness to perform such a task which means there's a bigger contract you have in mind. You've been testing other Hunter groups against Rangers, Guardians, and the International Police. So, do I have your confidence or do I have to continue proving myself against these amateurs?"

Despite the client being shrouded in shadows, the Hunter could tell the man smiled. "Your confidence is exactly what I'm looking for but it can be a weakness. Perhaps I need to find a better challenge. I'll be in touch with a better contract with a much worthier target."

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts on the chapter or questions.**

**Next Time: Gym Leader Prides**

**Questions You Might Have**

**Q: What's Bulbasaur's Pokedex entry? (I didn't feel like it was appropriate to include in the actual chapter)**

**Gender: Male, Ability: Overgrowth, Nature: Modest**

**Q: How did Bulbasaur's Pokeball get transported?**

**Remember that trainers can only have six on hand at all times and that Ash and Serena have the ability to select whoever they want to go back to the lab if they caught a 7th Pokemon. **


	14. Gym Leader Prides

**AN: I decided to switch to First POV as I didn't find myself enjoying writing in Third too well and generally demotivated me. First is what I'm more or less used to in writing so I wanted to see how it goes over with you all. **

* * *

**Chapter 14: Gym Leader Prides (Brock's POV)**

I walked out of the PokéMart with bags of Pokémon food and medical supplies in hand, turning right onto the sidewalk that was filled with people and their Pokémon. Many children were playing games with their pets while the adults kept an eye on them with the other eye on grocery lists or errands to run. I was heading over to the center of town with a Lapras statue acting as a water fountain where my friends agreed to meet after we all ran our respective errands.

Misty went to a local fishing shop to see their types of lure, wanting the best kinds they had to offer for her next big catch. I believe she also wanted to look for any items that might help Ash with his training, though I think she wanted to look for Power Training Items specifically. Perhaps she already knew that she'll likely find them in Saffron City compared to a random town.

Ash and Serena decided to sightsee around the town, trying out some local dishes and window shop. If I had to guess, Ash must have battled some of the locals much to Serena's dismay. Not that it was a _date _but rather the young man had been training tirelessly ever since the Hidden Village incident.

I don't blame him for being upset. The way his eyes were intense and filled with rage in the infirmary worried everyone. Even Misty didn't know if her training regimens would satisfy his determination to become stronger.

Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf were another concern for the group. Both dealt with their heartache differently. The Seed Pokémon fed into Ash's potential overtraining issue with anger. Then Nuzleaf acted as if nothing had happened, maybe in denial or bargaining that the Rangers would save their friends.

Not even fair to blame them for their behaviors either. Just thinking about it made me feel upset. Though my anger stemmed from not being there for Ash and Serena. Had I stayed behind, maybe I would have been able to prevent the Deerling from being taken?

The buzzing of my phone took my mind off it as I stopped to set my bags down to take out my phone from my pocket. I expected a message from my many siblings, telling me that they missed me when the screen lit up. To my surprise, a Trainer of the Challenger class had challenged me to a battle.

Out of habit, I pressed down on the notification, revealing the options of 'Accept' or 'Decline', and tapped on the 'Decline' button to make it disappear. My heart fluttered with my grip tightening on my phone. Did I want to accept that battle?

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and continued heading towards the water fountain, thinking about my fluctuating interest in participating in battles. When I left the Gym, my interest was none. It had been liberating not to be in constant battle all the time and he could focus on his lessons with Daisy Oak.

As of late, I found myself wishing I was in Ash's or Misty's shoes when they accepted a challenge. Both had such enthusiasm that he had once had and like Ash, I wanted to become stronger but in my way. Whenever I see the notification, I always find a way to chicken out.

The thought of tarnishing the Pewter City Gym's image more was the number one excuse. The second involved people bullying me on being a washed-up Gym Leader.

Sitting by the water fountain were Ash and Serena. The honey-blonde was brushing Eevee's fur. Ash appeared to be browsing through his phone with Pikachu wagging its tail back and forth. A good sign of the future Pokémon Master not looking for his next challenge, but rather he might be looking for a fun video.

"How was exploring town?" I asked, setting the bags down near them, and separating the supplies evenly.

Ash stood up with a smile. "One of the noodle places here was amazing and packed with a few Trainers that I battled and won all three."

I crossed my arms and sighed. "Don't tell me they were all three-on-three."

Serena shook her head. "He managed to get those trainers to agree to two-on-two battles to allow all of his Pokémon an equal opportunity to shine impressively." She reached for a bag to show me an assortment of berries. "I was wondering if you were willing to show me a trick or two in making Pokémon food. I heard of a special kind of Pokémon food called PokéBlocks that supposed to help with making moves more dazzling."

I scratched my head. "Perhaps you should have done some more research. You need a special kind of blender if you wanted to make them on demand and I wouldn't be exactly the right person to ask for that. Someone from the Pokémon Center might be of better use."

"Hmm," she looked down at Eevee who was wagging its tail. "In that case, would you be willing to teach me how to cook your special Pokémon food? I realized it's not fair that you have to cook all of it and maybe my Pokémon might respond differently knowing that I cooked for them in terms of happiness."

"That I can do," I chuckled. "Also an interesting theory. Let's start tonight when we're setting up camp."

Ash nodded in agreement. "Looks like it didn't take you that long to catch up to me in crafting theories."

"Maybe but you're still ahead of me." Serena flicked her hair. "I'm still learning everyone's likes and dislikes. Seems like you cracked down a few battling styles for your Pokémon."

He cheekily swatted the air. "Without Misty's help, I would still be discovering them but you intuitively figured out a few on you own."

"That's sweet Ash." The honey-blonde blushed, not that Ash noticed.

Young love. Quite intoxicating and totally not fair that they found each other at such an early age. If only they quit being so shy and dense about it. Their dance around it was interesting, to say the least, but it was not my place to pry.

Misty was the last to approach the group with her sunglasses on. Hard to tell if she found what she was looking for or was disappointed in her search. She reached down to grab her portion and started to sort out the supplies in her bag.

Similarly, Ash and Serena began packing their bags.

"Find what you were looking for?" Ash asked.

"The lures here are adequate but nothing special as I had hoped," the Water Princess replied. "As I suspected, they didn't have any training items but still worth the search. With them, it'll bring a new element to your training. Outside of that, I have been trying to find a Trainer to battle. Of course, hardly any Challenger classed Trainers in such a small town."

Serena tilted her head. "I believe Ash found a few Season Trainers here if you wanted to battle them."

Misty shook her head. "No thanks. If I want to beat my mom, I need to at least challenge people on my level even if a couple of my Pokémon are fairly new to my team."

"Perhaps but battling lesser people isn't invaluable if you consider working on your bond with those Pokémon," I offered my wisdom as I too sorted out the supplies in my travel bag. "You're also not going to beat Rachel with Pokémon that doesn't have your trust."

The Water-Type Specialist stopped to consider the thought. A buzzing sound could be heard as she took out her phone and cracking a smile. "Looks like my wish has been granted. If you all don't mind, I would like to accept this challenge." She specifically looked at Ash. "Like always, provide feedback. It'll be a great way for you to learn and potentially steal ideas for new strategies."

Ash nodded slowly with a sigh. "Do you have to remain me every time before you go into battle? It's getting rather kind of old and I was going to do it anyways whether you asked."

"Maybe I won't have to anymore," Misty chuckled while pointing down the street. "Follow me. This should be quick as it'll only be a one-on-one battle."

Given her current team, it was hard for her to compete in different formats until Seadra and Magikarp evolve. She did have other Pokémon at her disposal but claimed that she needed to train up a whole new team to face her mother. Only that way she could show her mother her progress.

We walked through the park until we arrived at an empty dirt battlefield. There, Misty took her place at the Trainer Box while Ash and Serena sat at the local bench. I assumed the position of the judge while we waited for the Trainer to arrive.

Misty stretched out a few limbs while licking her lips. "Hmm, this better not be a cruel joke. She claimed she was here."

"Maybe she went to the bathroom," Ash suggested.

"Or she could have gotten hungry and decided to get something to eat," Serena added.

I scratched my chin wondering if this had been the same person to challenge him. If so, then she wouldn't have gotten up and left without a good reason. "Let's give her some time as we only just arrived here."

"Five minutes top," Misty replied. "I rather spend my time training alone than wait for a no show."

Leaves rustled due to wind spiraling in a tornado-like fashion, though on a much smaller scale. Everyone was enthralled by the display over by the opposing Trainer Box. A shadow appeared in the form of a human. The wind stopped with the leaves gracefully falling. Emerging in the light was a woman with purple hair tied in a ponytail, black tunic with a yellowish long sleeve undershirt, black trousers with boots, and she wore a purple scarf around her neck.

That entrance, clothing, and pose was too familiar. Could it be?

Misty smirked while rolling her arm in a circle. "I had my doubts, but you must be Janine Kyo!"

"Kyo?" Ash gasped while examining the ninja girl himself.

Serena gently elbowed her best friend. "Care to fill me in?"

"Daughter of the Fuchsia City Gym Leader, Koga," Janine answered with a chuckle. "I'm a Challenger classed trainer for my record and winnings of different tournaments. Trained in the ways of the ninja to be honorable and respectful to all of my opponents while upholding a sacred duty in maintaining our traditions."

Must be some resume like a streak of being the winner of seven tournaments or streaks in different formats. Though being the child of a Gym Leader also has their perks too.

Janine's intense violet eyes glanced over at me before looking at Misty. "I apologize for the dramatic entrance but I wanted to be sure as well that you're Misty Waterflower. I heard from my father that you're trying to be a Trainee. I too have that same aspiration."

Misty's smile widened even more. "I guess this could be a preview of a future Worlds matchup."

"Indeed but I wouldn't go that far," Janine closed her eyes. "We still have a long way to go before taking people's breathes away." Then she looked at me. "Are you going to be the judge, Mr. Harrison?"

"Brock is fine," I corrected her and nodded to answer her question.

"Excellent." Janine brought her fist into her palm and bowed. "I'm most honored to you being our judge today. May I ask of you to provide feedback to me after this battle?"

"Of course," I replied. "Shall we begin this one-on-one battle?"

Misty and Janine looked at the app to see who went first.

"Starmie, grace us with your beauty!" Misty kissed her Pokéball and tossing it out.

The Mysterious Pokémon appeared, spinning in the air, and landing on the ground.

Janine clasped her hands, closing her eyes. "Ariados, reveal yourself!"

Appearing behind the ninja was an arachnid type creature with a horn sticking out of its head with a menacing color scheme that consisted of red, yellow, and purple.

If I remembered correctly, Ariados was considered the Long Legged Pokémon. They tend to trap Pokémon with their special silk web, freeing said Pokémon, and then tricking them into a false sense of security. It was also a bug-poison-type. Not too surprising as Koga was a Poison-type Specialist.

I checked in with both Trainers to see if they're ready. Misty had closed her eyes and taken a step back. Her hands formed fists with one of them visible shaking and she appeared to have mumbled a few words. Thinking about it, she had similar reactions to Butterfree and Ledyba. With a few deep breathes, she gave me a nod.

"Battle begin!" I raised my arms.

"Let's end this quickly with Psychic!" Misty shouted.

"Double Team!" Janine calmly commanded.

Copies of Ariados appeared on the battlefield, causing Starmie to halt its attack.

"Shadow Sneak!" Janine followed up.

"Rapid Spin!" Misty countered.

The copies of Ariados seep into the ground as shadows closed in on Starmie.

Starmie spun rapidly in place as the shadows popped out and vanished until all of the copies vanished with the Mysterious Pokémon stopping but the real Ariados was nowhere to be seen.

"What?" Misty took a step back, scanning the field.

I too scanned the field for the Long Legged Pokémon, impressed so far with Janine's battling style, using her ninja training to its full effectiveness.

"Lunge into Giga Drain!" Janine ordered.

From Starmie's shadow, Ariados took it by surprise. First bashing into the Mysterious Pokémon with its horn and then attaching itself as it drained Starmie's energy. Worst of all, both of those moves dealt with serious damage.

Misty furrowed her brows. "Thunderbolt!"

Starmie's jewel turned yellow as it zapped Ariados, stopping its attack.

"Rapid Spin!" Misty followed up.

The Mysterious Pokémon spun around with Ariados on its back, causing the bug-type to take a nose dive into the dirt.

"Way to go, Misty!" Ash cheered.

Serena nodded and smile.

"Impressive," Janine complimented. "Usually that combination of moves throws off my opponent so much that they forget to counterattack."

Misty smirked. "Foolish of you to assume I'm an ordinary trainer. I am the daughter of Rachel Waterflower after all."

"True but don't forget I'm also the daughter of a Gym Leader too." Janine pointed towards the field. "Sword Dance!"

"Reflect," Misty countered.

Ariados surrounded itself with phantom swords, spiraling around it, and increasing its attacking power.

Starmie, on the other hand, created a protective barrier that boosted its defensive capabilities.

"Hydro Pump!" Misty commanded.

"Cross Poison!" Janine countered.

Pressurized water blasted from all points of Starmie's appendages.

Ariados faced the attack, using its two front legs to cut the water with its poison energy. While it was able to brave it at first, eventually it was overwhelmed.

"Shadow Sneak!" Janine shouted.

By the end of Starmie's attack, Ariados had disappeared. Then it reappeared next to Starmie with Reflect halving the damage, but still super effective.

"Poison Thread!" Janine followed up.

"Psychic!" Misty shouted.

Spitting out of Ariados' mouth was a purple thread that wrapped around Starmie, poisoning it in the process.

The jewel in the middle turned blue as Ariados was caught in the move. Starmie tossed it back and towards the ground.

Flipping around, the Long-Legged Pokémon landed gracefully while using the momentum to swung Starmie around like an old fashion flail.

"Thunderbolt!" Misty yelled.

Ariados was zapped, causing it to let go of its poisonous thread.

Starmie stopped shocking as it flopped onto the ground and standing up only for the poison to cause it more pain.

Sparks started to consume Ariados' body.

Janine did not look fazed by the fact Ariados was paralyzed.

Misty narrowed her eyes, focusing on her situation.

By my count, it could be anyone's game.

"Psychic!" Misty shouted.

"Double Team!" Janine calmly commanded.

Copies of Ariados appeared, surrounding Starmie once again.

"Rapid Spin and Hydro Pump!" Misty followed up.

Starmie spun around horizontally with water blasting at all sides, wiping away the copies.

Once again, the real Ariados did not seem to be among the copies. Quite brilliant, though no less from the daughter of Koga.

"Lunge!" Janine closed her eyes.

Ariados attempted to bash Starmie from the shadows but its paralysis took a hold.

Misty snapped her fingers. "Game over. Psychic!"

Ariados was lifted in the air, spinning around rapidly.

Starmie landed on the ground as it continued its assault until purple energy consumed it.

Janine snapped her eyes open. "Giga Drain!"

That one moment for Starmie caused it to slow down its opponent's nightmare.

Green energy vines reached out to wrap themselves around Starmie, draining its energy while restoring its. Ariados landed gracefully on the ground while it absorbed the last of Starmie's strength.

"Starmie is unable to battle!" I declared, raising my right arm.

Misty stomped her foot, sighing heavily. Then she returned her Pokémon, kissing the ball, and began walking to the middle but stopped.

Janine walked to meet Ariados, petting it. "Excellent work as always."

"Ariados!" The bug-type cheered, returning to its ball.

Once the bug-type was out of sight, Misty seemed to have relaxed. She met Janine in the middle of the field with a hand reaching out. "As much as it pains me to lose, I have to give kudos on a good battle. I was ill-prepared to deal with Koga's battling style."

Janine shook Misty's hand. "Yet you did defeat my father once. No matter the team, he finds a way to incorporate the way of the ninja to his techniques. Did you not expect me to do the same?"

"I expected you to be more straight forward," Misty sighed. "It did take me three tries to beat your father with four badges. Only when I developed my team's synergy more, I was able to beat Koga."

"So perhaps this was a fluke," Janine smirked. "I only wish this had been a three-on-three so I can see your mother's battling style for myself."

I approached the girls along with Ash and Serena.

"Misty," Ash spoke. "I think a few times you let your guard down and expecting what most Trainers would do. Like most Trainers only use Double Team to confuse their opponent visually and not trick their opponents in a disappearance act. Then you started too strongly with Psychic when you should have saved it for a prime moment."

The Water Princess closed her eyes and hung her head. "Couldn't you have saved that for later?"

Serena giggled. "Considering you always give such feedback in front of Ash's opponent. Fair is only fair."

"We'll see about fair in tomorrow's training session," Misty chuckled to herself. "I'll have the last laugh."

"You're the one who asked for it," Ash retorted. "Plus this was a teaching moment and I did learn something new that I want to try with Pikachu."

"Pika!" The Electric-Type cheered.

Janine gazed upon me. "Then it's only fitting that you provide feedback to me in front of your friends."

I nodded and folded my arms, compiling my thoughts on the battle. The more I thought about it, the more something bothered me. "Given your skills in battle, I'm curious to know why you're still aspiring to be a Gym Leader in Training instead of being a Trainee right now."

The Ninja closed her eyes and sighed. "My father believes I'm missing something as a Gym Leader. I'm on a journey myself to discover what I lack and challenging people to see if they have a clue. When I saw you were in the area, I thought I might have found my chance. Then you declined my battle only to be the judge of the next obstacle in my way. Only to confirm that I'm probably not missing anything and that my father must be protecting me."

"Do you believe you have nothing to improve?" I asked.

"Even a former Gym Leader believes I should be a Trainee given my skills as a battler," Janine stated.

Misty scoffed. "He said the same about me. Similar to my mom, she thinks I lack a certain skill. Now I'm stuck coaching Ash to sure up that skill. Then I was promised a full battle to see how far I've come."

Janine raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps the skill you lack is the same one I lack."

I held my chin while taking out my phone, looking at the last person to send me a challenge. Indeed, it was Janine. I looked at her profile to see her accomplishments. None included any badges or appearance in major leagues as I suspected. Yet she dared to challenge me to a battle. Then I studied her record to see a long list of Trainers mostly below her level with few being of the Challenger class.

Had Forrest approached me with this kind of record, I would never had consider him. However, if I just tell her, she might not respond well. If I accept the battle and lose, then I would only validate her despite other Gym Leaders being stronger than me.

I rubbed the temples of my forehead trying to think of the best possible way to help her see the flaw in her plan.

"Do you still want to challenge me to a battle?" I asked.

Janine tilted her head. "Not that I'm honored to hear you say that but why accept now as opposed to earlier?"

"Let's just say I let my pride get in the way," I answered. "You wanted feedback and to know the skill you lack. I believe I know what it is but I need to battle you to confirm. Plus the more I see your battling style, the more effective feedback I can provide."

"Then I accept and thank you," Janine bowed.

I looked at Ash. "Perhaps you should be the judge and provide whatever feedback you want to either Janine or me."

Ash nodded. "You can count on me."

Then I faced Misty. "If I were you, watch carefully on how I conduct myself. I want you to point out any differences in how you battle and how a Gym Leader battles."

"B-But you're a former Gym Leader," Misty pointed out. "Besides I'm the one whose supposed to be teaching Ash!"

"Officially I am a former Gym Leader," I corrected. "However, that doesn't mean I have forgotten how to be a Gym Leader. Up to you, I suppose if you want to watch me carefully but to both of you, battling isn't everything."

I took my place in the Trainer Box with Ash assuming the judge's position and Janine standing across from me. My heart pounded with excitement growing like a certain beanstalk. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm the nerves. It had been a while but I wanted to make this an official battle so I sent her a challenge that she accepted.

"Good luck, Brock!" Cheered Serena.

Ash smiled and nodded at me. "You'll do great, I know it!"

Misty clapped. "Get revenge for Starmie!"

"What are your terms?" Janine asked.

"One-on-one," I stated. "Give it your all."

"I wouldn't want to have it in any other way," Janine smirked. "Venomoth, reveal yourself!"

Popping out of the ball was a moth-like Pokémon with large blue eyes and a violet body. Venomoth was considered to be the Poison Moth Pokémon with the dust on its wings being highly toxic. No doubt in my mind that it was her ace.

"Steelix, steel yourself!" I threw out my Pokémon.

My faithful friend roared to the skies while looking at its opponent.

Ash checked in before raising his arms. "Battle begin!"

I stood waiting for my opponent to make the first move. What ability did this Venomoth have? How was Janine going to use her ninja training with it too?

"Quiver Dance!" Janine began.

Venomoth spun around and ascended, raising its special attacking power as well as speed.

"Now Psychic!"

The bug-type lifted Steelix in the air and slammed it to the ground.

"Signal Beam!" Janine followed up.

A streaky pink beam fired from its mouth as Steelix rose. While it was not effective, Steelix slammed its tail to the ground.

That only confirmed what I had suspected of it knowing the Tinted Lens ability. "Dig!"

Steelix burrowed underground.

"As if that's going to stop me," Janine chuckled. "Climb upward and Quiver Dance!"

Venomoth ascended, once again boosting its power.

"Rock Tomb!" I ordered.

Popping out of the ground was Steelix. Instead of chasing the bug-type, it conjured rocks to chuck at it.

Venomoth used its increased speed to evade each one as it closed back in towards Steelix.

"Sandstorm!" I shouted.

Steelix slammed Venomoth with spiraling sand that slowly expanded to encompass the field.

"Ominous Winds!" Janine's voice cracked.

"Sand Tomb!" I countered.

I saw the sand clotting around a particular area and did not feel a pick up in the wind.

"Break free with Psychic!" Janine shouted.

The sand froze in the air and gathered above the Poison Moth Pokémon in one giant ball. As it revealed the field for everyone, Steelix was nowhere to be seen.

Janine narrowed her eyes. "I won't be fooled that easily! Cover up the holes!"

The sand was poured into the holes that Steelix used to burrow in without making too much of a sound.

The ground rumbled as Steelix popped out, flying towards Venomoth to pound it with its face.

Venomoth tumbled in the air.

Janine formed a few fists. "I'm surprised by how you're navigating our battle. Though it's not fair that you picked up a few of my tricks from my previous battle."

"Humph," I grunted while folding my arms. "If you think your struggles stem from one battle then you're sadly mistaken. I've battle Koga several times during my Rookie Season too and at times for Worlds. What you're seeing is the result of me learning from my mistakes. Though you're not the only one who enjoys using offense as a defense."

"I see my style doesn't fool you," Janine giggled. "In my book, as long as you keep your opponents off their toes they have no chance at making a comeback."

"True, but you have to keep up that pressure," I pointed out. "You let up on the gas whenever you think you have a firm decisive lead. Like when Starmie was being swung around, you didn't order Ariados to continue to mount an attack, thinking that you won at that point. Then a moment ago when Venomoth closed in, not thinking of a potential counterattack. Your strategy works well on less experienced Trainers, but against more experienced Trainers, it'll fall flat."

Janine gritted her teeth. "Are you saying my father's battling style falls flat? I expected more respect coming from you."

"Your father's battling style is nothing like this," I pointed out. "It's much more balanced with offense and defense and much more unpredictable than what you're showing me."

"If you want unpredictable, then let's see how you deal with Venomoth's Energy Ball!"

Grassy energy was launched from Venomoth, rapid-fire.

Steelix slithered around the field, avoiding many of the attacks but tanked a few hits.

"Iron Tail!" I shouted.

The Iron Snake Pokémon slammed its tail into the onslaught, waiting for the perfect opportunity to bat one of the Energy Balls back towards Venomoth.

"Ominous Winds!"

Venomoth flapped its wings with the winds picking up. An ominous feel swept the area as the attack destroyed the Energy Ball and carried itself onto Steelix. An aura appeared around the bug-type meaning all of its strengths just got better.

"Psychic and keep using Ominous Winds!" Janine followed up.

Steelix was lifted and spun around while dealing with Ominous Winds.

I considered using my Key Stone but decided against it. "Sandstorm!"

The steel-type brewed up a storm of sand that spiraled outward towards Venomoth. The ground shook violently meaning the bug-type's hold was lifted.

"Rock Tomb!" I commanded.

"Stop it all with Psychic!" Janine ordered.

The rocks and sand froze in the air, revealing both Pokémon.

"Send it right back!"

"Dig!"

Steelix burrowed underground to avoid the onslaught only to appear moments later and bashing Venomoth high in the sky.

"Let's try Rock Tomb again!" I waved my arm across my body.

Rocks conjured and sent towards Venomoth, crushing its body hard. The bug-type descended and flopped on the ground.

"Venomoth is unable to battle!" Ash declared.

Janine furrowed her brows. "What? I refuse to believe my Venomoth lost. We were about to win!"

Ash took a step back.

I shook my head. "You might want to double-check yourself there."

Her head turned back towards the battlefield with her eyes softening. Closing her eyes, she silently returned her Pokémon and shook her head. She stood there, thinking to herself.

I walked onto the field with Steelix lowering its head to be petted. I moved my hand up and down on its head, thanking it for its hard work before returning it to the ball.

Ash was the first to approach me. "That was an amazing job, Brock. You managed to turn her entire strategy inside out. You and Steelix must have a lot of trust in one another to have it use Dig on its own without your command. Though I wondered why you allowed Steelix to take a few hits early on. It seemed risky when you consider Venomoth's strength being special."

"Sometimes the risk outweighs the benefits," I replied. "Consider I didn't and Steelix dodged. Then I wouldn't have known until much later one that Venomoth had Tinted Lens for an ability. Without that information, I would have made a few bad moves that would have certainly been my doom. Perhaps given the number of times it boosted its power, I probably should have intercepted an attack with my own."

Serena joined in with a thumbs up. "I'm glad I was able to see you battle once. What a treat!"

Misty then stepped in with her hands down her pocket. Her left foot dug into the ground. "I see you were not afraid of giving feedback in the middle of a battle; however, I question the way you presented the information. Were you trying to provoke her? I don't think Gym Leaders are in the business in provoking a challenger."

"Different people need different ways of communicating," I turned to Misty. "During my battle, maybe I got caught up in the moment but my criticism comes from a place of love. Not the romantic kind but I wanted to get my opponent to think about her strategy. She wanted to be like her father so much that she's fallen in a trap of her design. Her style stems from preying on weaker Trainers and competitions she knew she could win."

I turned around to face Janine who was still standing around. Her eyes opened with her taking a few deep breaths.

"What you lack isn't a particular skill but rather the heart to take on every challenger," I said. "No matter the strength, as a Gym Leader you must raise to the challenge. Your record may look good on paper but pales compared to others who went up against quality opponents."

Janine sighed. "I appreciate your honesty. Something my father didn't dare to tell me." She closed her eyes again. "Scratched that, he wanted me to make my discovery. Maybe at the time, I wouldn't have listened give my long streak of wins that you just snapped. Don't think for one moment that you were rude or disrespectful, Brock."

Misty scratched her head. "I don't get it. If I was in that position, I would get chewed out for my harshness."

"It's just as Brock said," Janine stepped into the circle. "I believe you and I might be more accepting of that type of feedback given with our parents; however, someone like Ash requires a different form of communication to the same message across. Had you discover what that is, I cannot say but not everyone appreciates that kind of feedback, especially if they lost."

"One cannot go far in life with only one way of communication," I added as it seemed as though they do not share the same skill deficiency. "Learning to adapt to people's learning styles is the best way to get the best out of people. Challenging people's egos can be tough but sometimes they need a wake-up call. Others need some encouragement and some time to ponder. At the end of the day, if you want to be a Gym Leader, you need to master this one important element."

Misty looked at Ash and back to the ground. "No promises but I'll try another way to present feedback."

"As long as you try," Ash laughed.

Janine bowed to me. "Once again, thank you for a reality check. Given my current situation, I don't believe my father would accept me still as his Trainee. What would you recommend to me to show that I have learned?"

"Why don't you join the Gym Challenge and participate in several Gym Battles?" I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Like myself, the Gym Leaders are much tougher than your average Trainer. It'll be a good test of strength and show that you're trying."

"You can probably also show by challenging more Challenger classed Trainers," Misty pointed out too. "It'll keep you on your toes as the next time we meet, I'm going to win!"

Janine smirked at Misty. "I see our family's rivalry will continue living on. I look forward to seeing your true potential as I want a three-on-three next time."

"You got yourself a deal!" Misty extended her hand.

Janine shook it and took a few steps back, placing her hand on the ground with the same leaf tornado popping up out of nowhere. "Until we meet again." The ninja trick ended with her nowhere to be seen.

Everyone was stunned by the trick. I suppose there were many mysteries out in the Pokemon World between Aura, Psychics, and the way of the Ninja. All of it seemed amazing to keep on being discovered.

I scratched my chin thinking of the battle. When it began, everything just washed away and I felt like a young kid again. The excitement and exhilaration just felt natural as well as me being in the headspace of a Gym Leader. Maybe once a Gym Leader was always a Gym Leader at heart. Though I think what excited me the most was potentially seeing how Janine grows and develops as a Trainer.

Serena appeared to be the first to snap a picture of Ash's dumbfounded face that included his jaw being dropped and his legs spreading wider than shoulder length apart. "Just too funny!"

"Hey!" Ash shouted. "Delete that photo!"

"Sorry, but it might be my new wallpaper!" She winked as she ran down the park with Ash in tow.

Misty shook her head. "At least he's not focused on training." She soon followed.

I too had a little chuckle while slinging my backpack around and running after them. Young love. It was totally not fair.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts and questions.**

**Next Time: King of the Field**

**Questions you might have**

**Q: Does this mean Ash is facing Janine instead of Koga when we get to the Fuschia City Gym?**

**You'll have to wait and see**

**Q: Will every character's POV be in First from this point forward?**

**Probably and I'll let it be known whose POV we're in at the beginning of a chapter or scene break.**

**Q: Why is Janine a rival to Misty?**

**Because it just felt right, especially if they're striving for the same goal and helps her to become a better trainer. **


	15. King of the Field

**Chapter 14: King of the Field (Ash's POV)**

Misty led the group down a busy sidewalk through Saffron City. The sizzling heat by the sun's reflection from the windows made the trip unbearable. Though, if I hadn't been such a fool, we might not be walking through the city right now and instead be in a confrontable Pokémon Center prepping for a Gym Battle.

Of course, I should have known that the Saffron Gym would receive tons of challenges by people thinking the newly appointed Gym Leader would be a cakewalk. Boy, were they ever wrong. In a short time, the Gym Leader earned herself the title of the Master of Psychic Pokémon due to her unique, yet terrifying, ability to command her Pokémon nonverbally.

My blood boiled in excitement for that kind of challenge. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait about a month before I would have a chance due to the number of challenges at the moment. By that time, hopefully, people respect the Gym Leader's strength. If it wasn't for Serena's Contest, I would have feared Misty would have blown up by now.

The Coordinator had her heads in the clouds, going through the motions of being in a Contest. She mouthed off her attacks and performed small gestures with Eevee on her shoulder lightly hopping. Her beautiful sapphire eyes met up with mine.

I froze in place while scratching the back of my head.

Pikachu brushed up against my cheek, peering at Eevee, and snickering. "Cha!" It began rubbing its cheek against mine. Out of habit, I scratched its chin.

My best friend giggled to herself and brushed her hair to the side. "Sorry, Ash. I guess I should be paying attention to where I'm going."

"You're fine," I laughed back while resuming my walk. "So…are you nervous about your upcoming contest?"

"I would be lying to say if I wasn't," Serena admitted with her eyes diverted to the concreate. "I did make a fool of myself last time."

I shook my head. "I didn't think you did. I'm sure plenty of Rookie Coordinators had similar reactions. Did they not?"

Serena nodded with a weak smile. "I suppose if I look at it that way then I have nothing to fear. I just hope the category isn't something my Pokémon can't excel in."

"Even if it isn't…" I trailed off.

"Never give up until it's over," Serena brightly smiled. "I definitively won't ever think of that to undermine my Pokémon's effort."

"Don't forget about yours," I added. "After all, you and your Pokémon make a team! I know you'll do great this weekend."

"Thanks for the confidence boost!" Serena gently pushed me.

By curb, Misty stood with her arms crossed and her foot, tapping. Her sunglasses were on, making it difficult for anyone to tell what she was thinking.

Brock had a hand on her shoulder, appearing to whisper something in her ear. The former Gym Leader had been helping Misty in preparations of different training sessions as of late. I noticed that Misty had been less demanding and have a better balance on feedback to me.

The aspiring Gym Leader sighed, rolling her neck, and then handed me her phone.

I hesitantly grabbed it with Serena looking over my shoulder.

On the screen, there was an ad for a King of the Field event. A golden crown at the very top with a cast of Pokémon that comprised of a mountain-like image in shadows chasing it. The tip of the metaphorical mountain had a Charizard and Blastoise duking it out with a fire and water attack. At the bottom, there was an 'S' comprised of two halves of a Pokéball signifying that it's sponsored by Silph Co.

Silph Co. was responsible for a wide variety of manufactured items from Pokéballs to the distribution of Potions-type items. On top of that, they sponsor different Trainers and Coordinators on their journey. I believe those people receive niffy jackets.

"King of the Field?" Serena asked.

"It's a competition," Misty stated. "If you've ever played king of the hill, it's very similar. The king is a Trainer with some kind of win streak. They continue to battle until they're dethroned when defeated in battle, except you're out forever no matter how many Pokémon you have remaining."

Brock nodded with a smile. "The format tests a Trainer's ability to understand their Pokémon's limits. This is especially important when it comes to a full battle. Now that you have six Pokémon, Ash, you may find yourself being challenged more in that format and it'll help you size up your opponent."

I handed the phone back with a grin at the opportunity to battle with all of my Pokémon. "What are we waiting for?"

"For you two," Misty replied, turning her back to walk across the street. "Even slower and we may miss another chance for you to improve your battling skills."

I scratched the back of my head, guessing that Misty was upset that I didn't apply for an appointment in Cerulean City at the very least.

The aspiring Gym Leader led us to a battle facility with many posters of the same ad around, multiple levels, and appears to be well kept. Several Silph Co. employees directed us towards the front desk where a line was formed to sign up for the competition. I waited as patiently as I could at the end with my friends.

"Say, Serena, why don't you join in too?" Misty asked in a quiet tone.

Serena raised a brow. "M-Me? Why would I join?" She matched the one of Misty's voice.

Brock leaned in. "Considering this special training for your Pokémon to be ready for the second round of any Contest. This will be a great opportunity to get some experience and develop your battling style some more."

"Plus, it'll increase our odds for the prizes," Misty explained. "There is a grand prize for the sole survivor and there are also smaller prizes pending on the win streak one achieves."

"What kind of prizes?" Serena asked.

Misty scrolled through her phone. "Minor prizes include different kinds of Pokéballs. Moderate level prizes include evolution items. High-value items include specially procured Pokémon eggs. The grand prize is a keystone."

My eyes must have lit under fire upon hearing a keystone. Gary had gotten his own from his father while my father only gave me his old hat. Then I saw why Misty and Brock were trying to convince Serena to join. If I had any chance of defeating top-level trainers, I would need to have master the art of Mega-Evolution.

Had I joined alone, I may tire my Pokémon out enough for a potential challenge to dethrone me. This way, Serena and I were like a team reaching for that prize. Given I had more Pokémon, I had a better chance of surviving until the very end.

"Don't worry about your skill level," Brock said. "Those who can enter this competition can only be Rookies and Trainer level."

"Come on Serena!" I encouraged. "This'll be fun!"

Serena pondered the thought and looked at Eevee who was wagging its tail. "Alright. I'll give it a shot."

We waited patiently to register for the competition using our phones to be scanned. The VS Seeker recognized the competition so everything would be official. The app provided us with numbers with 75 given to me and 76 given to Serena. According to the clerk, a computer will randomly select competitors as time rolls on giving everyone a fair opportunity to compete for whatever kind of prize they seek.

Heading to the field, we saw many trainers itching for a chance for a keystone. Nobody said this was going to be easy but if anyone was going to get that prize, it was going to be me. Misty and Brock were able to join us under the assumption that they were our coaches respectively.

The stadium was filled with people, eager to watch some battles. Hard to tell if they were here to support their friends and family or talent scouts for various companies. An announcer provided a play-by-play for the audience.

The competition began on schedule with Serena nor I being chosen to compete in the first few rounds. In between the rounds, Misty and Brock would go over a few tips and overall strategies. Apparently, we should not use our weakness first and work our way up as I had thought. We should use a Pokémon of a particular level and throw people off over time. It was vital that we use one for as long as possible and then switch to give that Pokémon the most time they need to rest.

Most of the battles were quick and entertaining. I saw many people using particular recovery moves to keep their Pokemon as fresh as they could.

Eventually, Serena's number was called. The honey-blonde stepped into the trainer box. She was up against a trainer named Leon and he had just swapped into a Machop.

Machop was a fighting type and known as the Superpower Pokémon according to the dex. Lots of strength for such a little guy. Serena needed to fight smart or just as hard.

The honey-blonde checked her Pokédex, going over its potential abilities. Before it looked like she had decided on a Pokémon, popping out was Nuzleaf.

"Nuz!" The Wily Pokémon readied itself by pounding its chest.

Serena took a step back before sighing. "Alright, Nuzleaf. It's showtime!"

"That's not a good sign," Misty remarked.

"Why is that?" I asked. "Nuzleaf is physically Serena's strongest at the moment. Though Ledyba would have had the advantage on paper."

Brock folded his arms. "Usually that doesn't bode well in terms of if that Pokémon would listen to its trainer."

I pondered the thought and recall Nuzleaf listening to Serena well enough in their training. The shocking part of Nuzleaf had been its willingness to try Contests. Maybe they were suggesting something else?

"Battle begin!" The judge declared.

"Low Kick!" Leon started the battle.

"Pound!" Serena countered.

Both Pokémon dashed to the middle of the field. Machop slid, going low and for the feet. Nuzleaf hoped over, performing a summersault, and landing gracefully on its feet. The Wily Pokémon quickly turned around to continue its attack.

"Mega Punch!" Leon shouted.

Machop turned onto its stomach, getting itself in a running position, and began dashing towards Nuzleaf once again. It arched an arm back, getting ready for a knock-out punch.

"Razor Leaf!" Serena commanded.

Nuzleaf continued to run while bobbing its head, sending a barrage of leaves towards Machop.

The Superpower Pokémon started to punch the leaves before being overwhelmed enough to hold its ground. That did not last long as Nuzleaf slapped it on the legs, exposing its head and face for the Wily Pokémon to continually pound it.

"Low Sweep!" Leon yelled.

Machop used one of its feet to pivot in a circle like fashion, taking Nuzleaf off its feet and having it fall upon its back.

Nuzleaf appeared to be in massive pain after taking a super-effective hit.

I crossed my arms and held onto my biceps as hard as I could. The battle was far from over but I couldn't help find myself unsure of the outcome. I wanted Serena to win with all of my heart but there was no shame in losing to a Trainer whose fresh compared to herself. Part of me felt bad to think that way.

"Body Slam!" Leon followed up.

The Superpower Pokémon leaped with its body spread out wide, closing in on the Wily Pokémon.

Serena narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Leaf Blade!"

Nuzleaf rolled to the side with the leaf on the top of its head growing out.

Machop formed into a ball, landing and rolling onto its side.

The grass-dark type charged in forward, motioning its head so the blade would spin around like a helicopter.

The fighting type ducked and rolled out of the way while throwing in a few punches.

Nuzleaf used its own hands to deflect and block while continuing to use its blade to throw off its opponent.

My heart raced to see their movement. It reminded me of old martial art moves with both sides not giving an inch. The crowd and I held our breaths, unable to take our eyes off the battle.

"Dual Chop!" Leon commanded.

The blue flames of dragon energy consumed Machop's forearms as it pressed the attack and forced Nuzleaf to take evasive actions with its body and counteracting the attack with Leaf Blade as much as possible.

"Low Sweep!" Serena shouted.

Nuzleaf locked blade with arm and quickly went low with its leg in an attempt to take it out.

Machop hoped over Nuzleaf while blocking Leaf Blade once again with its Dual Chop.

"Brick Break!" Leon waved an arm across his body.

The Superpower Pokémon landed on its feet and rushed in with an arm held back.

"Foul Play!" Serena countered.

Nuzleaf waited until Machop threw the punch to move its head to the side, grabbing the fist, and hurdling it over its shoulder and slamming it to the ground.

"Leaf Blade!" Serena followed up!

Nuzleaf extended its leaf with grass energy once again to whack the fighting type repeatedly.

"Machop is unable to battle!" The judge declared.

I performed a fist pump as Serena jumped in glee. Misty and Brock smiled at the victory; however, they quickly grimaced at the sight of Nuzleaf continuing its attack.

Serena gasped. "Nuzleaf! Stop! The battle is over!"

Nuzleaf stopped at the sound of her voice and took a few steps back, shaking its head, and looking at its hands. "Leaf…" It shut its eyes as the crowd mumbled to themselves.

Leon rushed to the middle to check on his Pokémon. It did not appear to be seriously hurt so he let out a sigh of relief before returning his Pokémon.

The judge tossed out a yellow flag towards Serena. "Out of control Pokémon penalty. This is your first and only warning to get your Pokémon under control. If you receive a second one, you will be disqualified. As rule, you must give it a time out for the next round and select a new Pokémon to use."

My heart sunk after hearing the judge's ruling, but there was no other choice given Nuzleaf's actions. Serena could bounce back. She still hasn't used Nidoran, Ledyba, or Eevee.

Serena crouched down towards Nuzleaf, appearing to talk with it about what had happened.

"That certainly gives her opponents the advantage," Brock sighed. "Nuzleaf probably could have gone a few extra rounds and could have concealed her team."

"True but it could be a blessing giving it a break," Misty remarked. "Though people will be wary whenever Nuzleaf does return."

"I don't think we want to condone that type of behavior," I sighed. "Nuzleaf should have stopped at the judge."

Misty shook her head. "Like you're any better lately with training."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I huffed.

Brock stepped in between us. "Let's just say sometimes you continue to train even against our advisement. Now, let's see how Serena deals with her next opponent before we start an incident that would require us to be removed."

I relaxed my shoulders and watched Serena over the next two rounds with Eevee. Both of their wins were impressive as it appeared Eevee used its dance skills to evade their opponent. Then she used Nidoran against a Trainer named Sara who had a Sentret.

"Fury Swipe!" Sara commanded.

"Poison Sting!" Serena countered.

Sentret dashed in a zig-zag pattern, avoiding the flurry of Poison Sting, and standing on its tail to go in swinging.

"Double Kick!" Serena shouted.

Nidoran stood on its front legs, pivoted, and kicked Sentret twice with a super-effective move.

"Bite!" Serena followed up.

The Poison Pin Pokémon quickly bit down onto the Sentret's fluffy tail, swinging it around in a circle before releasing it causing the normal-type to roll along the ground.

"Defense Curl and then Rest!" Sara commanded.

Sentret rolled up in a tight ball and began to sleep. A while aura surrounded it as its energy was being replenished.

"Quick, Double Kick!" Serena yelled.

Nidoran dashed forward and prepared itself to land a potentially finishing blow.

"Sleep Talk!" Sara chuckled.

Sentret uncurled itself with water swirling around its tail, whacking Nidoran in the process.

Nidoran stood its ground while sliding against the dirt.

"Poison Sting!" Serena narrowed her eyes.

The poison type unleashed a bombardment of poisonous needles that Sentret took.

"Sleep Talk!" Sara repeated her commanded not that she could do much anyways.

The normal-type used Quick Attack to blaze down the field, bashing its head against Nidoran who still stood its ground.

Watching Nidoran fight, there was no doubt it wanted to prove it was superior.

"Chip Away!" Serena shouted.

Nidoran bashed its head against the sleeping Pokémon and then pounced it while pounding away.

"Nice call by Serena," Brock chuckled. "That attack ignores any boosts of defenses."

I grinned seeing how Serena had grown in such a short time battling Trainers here.

"Sleep Talk!" Sara panicked.

"Bite and then Fury Swipes!" Serena countered.

Nidoran bit down onto Sentret and clawed away while the normal type struggled to move.

"Sentret is unable to battle!" The judge declared.

Serena celebrated with a jump while her opponent returned her Pokémon. My best friend waited for the next opponent to be selected with Cole being up next. She debated with herself if Nidoran had enough. Since her opponent can't send our their Pokémon until she made a decision, it was a tough spot considering her Pokémon essentially had to defeat Sentret twice. Ultimately she returned it.

"Ledyba, it's showtime!"

The Five Star Pokémon made an appearance. At first, it had a wide smile until it saw the crowd and quickly retreated towards Serena.

"Geodude!" Cole called out.

The Rock Pokémon appeared; however, it was not the normal one that one would see in Kanto. Its brows were of a different stone and it had stones sticking out like hair. It was an Alolan Geodude as I checked out the dex to discover it was also an electric type. Serena would have a difficult challenge up ahead.

The judge checked in with both trainers. "Serena, please have Ledyba head out onto the field."

Serena turned towards her Pokémon. "Come on Ledyba, don't be shy. I'm here with you."

Ledyba continued to hide, visibly shaking from what I could see was fear.

"Why is it scared?" I asked out loud.

Brock rubbed his chin. "Perhaps the dex was right about it needing to be part of a swarm to be less shy in front of people. If this had been a double battle, maybe it wouldn't cower."

"Well, that's too bad because it'll cost her the match," Misty sighed.

"Ledyba refuses to battle!" The judge declared. "Serena has been eliminated and thus Cole will be our new king."

Serena weakly smiled while returning her Pokémon. She picked up Eevee and headed back towards us when an employee stopped her to hand out a few minor prizes. She had accumulated four wins which were enough for a Great Ball prize. Returning to the group, she sighed.

"I tried my best guys but I think eliminating four people is not bad."

Brock shook his head. "Not at all. Quite unfortunate how Nuzleaf behaved and how Ledyba's fear eliminated you."

"Maybe if you participated in more battles, you would have known about it sooner," Misty said with a hint of disappointment in her tone.

Serena pouted and placed her hands around her hips. "Excuse me?"

I took a deep breath understanding that Serena's role was to help eliminate or tire out the competition. Still, I couldn't be prouder of my best friend. "I think you did an amazing job regardless."

Serena swept her hair to the side. "Thanks, Ash."

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I looked up at the scoreboard to see the image of me on it. I suppose I was up next so maybe it was good that Serena didn't have to fight. If she had won then I would have gone up against her. I made my way towards the trainer box. Before I could get free, Serena decided to give me a quick hug.

I adjusted my hat as several people began whispering my name. I ignored them and focused on the task on hand. Cole did not switch Pokémon when he had the chance. Though I don't blame him considering his Pokémon hadn't battle yet.

From my belt, I grabbed a Pokéball to toss out onto the field. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

The Seed Pokémon appeared and bent its knees immediately, ready for the battle.

The crowd gasped and admired how Bulbasaur was shiny.

"Battle begin!"

Cole slapped his forehead and shook his head. "No matter. Charge!"

Geodude flexed its muscles while generating electricity that boosted its special defense and empowered its next electric move.

I narrowed my eyes, knowing I needed to keep my distance. "Razor Leaf!"

Bulbasaur fired off spinning leaves.

"Fire Punch!" Cole countered.

Flames covered the Rock Pokémon's fists as it lunged forward, punching the leaves and turning them into ash as it got closer to Bulbasaur.

"Vine Whip!" I shouted.

Vines smacked against Geodude's body, pushing it back.

Geodude grabbed ahold of the vines.

Bulbasaur winced in pain as the flames burned its vines. It held its ground as they entered a tug of war scenario. The Seed Pokémon slid on the ground but not flying towards its opponent.

"Discharge!" Cole smirked.

Geodude unleashed an electrical field that shocked Bulbasaur not only through the vines but also the electricity imbuing out of the Rock Pokémon.

Bulbasaur was unable to hold its ground any longer and sent flying towards Geodude.

"Fire Punch!" Cole followed up.

Geodude landed a perfect blow, smacking Bulbasaur towards the ground.

The Seed Pokémon shook it off despite getting slammed by a couple of strong attacks.

"Leech Seed!" I ordered.

Firing out of the bulb was a seed that hit Geodude on its head. Vines came out of the seed, wrapping around the Rock Pokémon as it began sapping its energy and giving it back to Bulbasaur.

Cole growled and stomped the ground. "Fire Punch and hurry!"

"Sleep Powder!" I countered.

Bulbasaur backed up while releasing a trail of blue powder.

Geodude tried its best to fight off the scent but it was overwhelmed, closing its eyes, and falling onto the ground.

I kept a watchful eye on Geodude to ensure Bulbasaur was ready to attack whenever it wakes up. In the meantime, I allowed Bulbasaur to rest and regain its strength.

"Hurry up and wake up!" Cole yelled out in despair. "Wake up!"

The crowd was in an uproar because I was sitting here doing nothing even though it was part of a strategy Misty and I developed. They don't understand the beauty of it.

Several minutes had gone by as Geodude's eyes started to flutter open.

"Vine Whip and Razor Leaf!" I snapped my fingers.

Bulbasaur ensnared Geodude's arms, lifting it in the air, and quickly bombarding it with Razor Leaf.

"Discharge, quick!" Cole shouted.

"Slam it!" I countered.

Electricity started to surround Geodude when Bulbasaur used all of its might to slam it onto the ground with a dust cloud forming. When it settled, Geodude was motionless.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Thus, our new king is Ash!"

I exhaled deeply, taking off my cap, and wiping my forehead before placing it back on my hat. Winning the first battle meant I wasn't going to make a fool out of myself. I stayed with Bulbasaur for another round before using other members of my team. Butterfree scored another two victories along with Pidgeotto.

Nidoran won one too and currently fighting a Jigglypuff under the watchful eye of Amy. One must have wondered why she decided to use a fairy type against a poison type, but that hadn't been much of a factor so far as it had used Stockpile and Swallow to keep itself in the match.

"Disarming Voice!" Amy shouted.

Jigglypuff let out a wail of pink hearts gunning towards Nidoran.

Nidoran jumped to the right and started to dash towards the singing Pokémon.

"Poison Sting!" I commanded.

Jigglypuff inflated and floated above the volley of poisonous needles.

"Rollout!" Amy followed up.

The Balloon Pokémon deflated and started to roll like a ball, crashing onto the ground, and spun towards Nidoran at blistering speed.

Nidoran managed to curl up in a ball and leaped over the rolling pink of doom. When it landed, it huffed and puffed, tired out from this dance.

"Focus Energy!" I yelled.

Nidoran focused on Jigglypuff's movements as it went in a circle for round two.

"Horn Attack!" I shouted.

The Poison Pin Pokémon rammed its horn up against Jigglypuff's Rollout. The momentum of Rollout caused Nidoran to slide back against the field but the horn eventually slowed Jigglypuff down and even poisoned it.

I grinned as my strategy worked. "Super Fang!"

Nidoran lowered its head before raising it to throw Jigglypuff to the air. There, the Balloon Pokémon inflated.

"Swallow!" Amy commanded.

Jigglypuff restored its energy in a green aura.

Nidoran leaped while its opponent was distracted to bite down upon its foot, dragging it down enough for the Poison Pin Pokémon to throw down.

"Poison Sting!" I followed up.

"Stockpile, hurry!" Amy's eyes widened.

The Poison Sting hit its mark before Jigglypuff could rise.

"Horn Attack!"

Nidoran dashed in while maintaining its previous attack and rammed its horn into the Balloon Pokémon.

"Jigglypuff is unable to battle!" The judge declared.

I did a double first pump as that was a tougher battle than anticipated. "Great work, Nidoran!"

The Poison Pin turned towards me with a smile and it skipped towards me when its body began to glow in a blinding white light. The light of evolution consumed it as its body grew in size in every way possible until Nidorino appeared.

Out of habit, I checked the dex to learn more about Nidorino. Turns out that Nidorinos tend to be more aggressive and its venom was stronger.

I crouched down, beaming that it had evolved. "Congratulations!" I carefully petted the horn.

"Pika!" Pikachu joined in the celebration.

Nidorino closed its eyes and snapped its head away from my hand. Did it not like being touched on the horn anymore? Completely strange but no time to waste everyone was waiting on me. I decided to give Nidorino a break after such a hard battle.

Pikachu and Charmander both scored two wins followed by another impressive three wins from Bulbasaur. Then each one of my Pokémon had another victory at least to bring my current streak up to 20. One way of looking at was that my team just handled three full battles in a row. Still, there were many trainers left to be fought.

Stepping up to the trainer box was a boy around my age with a blue cap with a yellow band around it. He wore a green jacket and green pants with a yellow stripe down the side. The strange part was he had a Pikachu on his shoulder like I did when I stepped up. Only his Pikachu had some fur strands longer. Looking up at the scoreboard, I saw that his name was Ritchie Hiroshi.

"Before we begin, I would like to say I'm honored to have a match with you," Ritchie said. "Though I wish it would be more on even terms. I'm…" He scratched his head. "Also a fan of your fathers. I can't wait to see his highly anticipated rematch with Champion Blue."

I lightly chuckled as it seemed as though many here were a fan of my father or some of them were quite rude about it. Nonetheless, I kept a smile on. "I can't wait either. Don't be afraid to give it your all despite I'm at a disadvantage."

"I definitely will!" He gave a thumbs up. "After all, I am here to claim the ultimate prize."

I returned Pidgeotto and thought about who was the freshest. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

The Seed Pokémon bent its knees, appearing to be fresh enough to battle still. Leech Seed had helped maintain its strength.

"Sparky, I choose you!" Ritchie threw out a Pokéball with a sticker on it.

His Pikachu leaped from his shoulder and onto the field with its cheeks sparking. The name made sense but I had to do a double-take. Nicknaming Pokémon was rare.

"Battle begin!"

I stood still, analyzing why Ritchie would send out his Pikachu. Electric attacks were not effective on Bulbasaur nor would it have learned a super-effective move against it. Did he send it out to give me a fairer chance? That didn't seem right either. There must be something more to it.

"Razor Leaf!" I started the battle.

Bulbasaur launched a series of spinning leaves.

"Dig!" Ritchie ordered.

Sparky dug underground by spinning rapidly with its tail acting like a drill.

I scanned the field, thinking of the possibilities of where it could pop out. Bulbasaur looked around too, confused about what it should do to combat this situation.

By the time I had an idea, the ground rumbled underneath the Seed Pokémon. Sparky provided an uppercut to Bulbasaur.

"Electroweb!" Ritchie followed up.

In the same motion, Sparky let loose an electrified web that captured Bulbasaur on the way down.

"Don't let it recover!" Ritchie shouted. "Quick Attack!"

"Tackle!" I countered.

Sparky collided with Bulbasaur's head. The grass type held firm, using its vines to ensnarl the electric type.

"Leech Seed!" I ordered.

"Thunderbolt!" Ritchie countered.

Bulbasaur aimed a seed to sapped Sparky's strength but it zapped Bulbasaur in the process. My Pokémon slammed Sparky to the ground and retracted its vines, panting.

I narrowed my eyes, unsure what to think of Ritchie's strategy. He didn't go with the type-advantage and yet he had full control of this match. I know Bulbasaur must be tired from its other battles but it felt like I was a few steps behind. I suppose I was impressed by it all.

Ritchie laughed. "You look frustrated. Is it because you're questioning my strategy?"

"Quite the opposite actually," I remarked. "Though I do wonder why you decided to use a Pikachu instead of type advantage."

"Gym Leaders typically fight with a type disadvantage and they usually come out on top still," he answered. "I figure the best way to get on their level faster is to fight with the same limitations if I can help it. I think it makes me a better trainer as it forces me to think outside the box. Similar to how your father battles and even you this afternoon."

I admired his way of thinking and the compliment. My eyes glanced over at Brock as it was a way for me to understand my team's limitations. Though, sometimes one cannot help but be at a disadvantage.

"This isn't over yet so let's see how you overcome the challenges!" I waved my arm across my body. "Growth!"

The bud on Bulbasaur's back grew in size.

"Quick Attack!"

Sparky sped its way across the field.

"Vine Whip!" I pointed right in front of it.

Bulbasaur smacked the dirt with its vines, creating a dust cloud the enveloped it and the speeding Pikachu.

"Tackle!" I followed up.

Through the dust cloud, I could see sparks of red from the Leech Seed. Sparky flew out of there, flopping on the ground.

"Electric Terrain!" Ritchie narrowed his eyes.

"Pika!" Sparky cried out as the entire field was enveloped in an electrical charge.

My Pikachu's cheeks sparked involuntarily because of it.

"Growth!" I ordered.

The bud once again grew. My only chance was to be able to knock out Sparky in hopefully one single blow.

"Razor Leaf!" I followed up.

Bulbasaur launched a series of spinning leaves that were bigger than usual.

"Dig!"

Like before, Pikachu dug underground to avoid the attack.

"Use your vines to jump!" I snapped my fingers.

Bulbasaur smacked its vines onto the ground to gain some air as Sparky popped in an attempt to pound the grass type.

"Thunderbolt!"

As Bulbasaur continued to gain air, it looked straight down to know when to whack Sparky to prevent it from performing its attack.

"Razor Leaf!" I hollered.

Bulbasaur shifted its weight so it could angle its bud downward while sending another round of Razor Leaf.

Sparky flopped on the ground and started to roll into a run to avoid the attacks as Bulbasaur landed.

"Electroweb!" Ritchie called out.

The electric type stopped in its tracks to turn around to web the leaves. The collusion of attacks caused an explosion. When the smoke disappeared, Sparky was nowhere to be seen.

My eyes widened. "Jump again!"

Too late as Sparky drilled its way out, slamming Bulbasaur hard into the air.

"Thunderbolt!"

Sparky gathered the electrical energy around it for one powerful Thunderbolt, zapping Bulbasaur as my friend came crashing down.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle! Ritchie is our new king!"

The vines around Sparky retracted as it was freed from Leech Seed. Sparky ran back to Ritchie who high-fived the tail as their little celebration.

I sighed while holding out a Pokéball to return Bulbasaur. I was not disappointed in losing but that my time as the king as over. So much for the keystone but I was proud of how my Pokémon performed and the streak I had earned myself. Nothing to be ashamed of.

Pikachu's ears fell to its side, also sad that we didn't win the competition. Though there were another 15 trainers left so I was close at the very least. I crouched down to pet Pikachu on the head. "We did our best. That's all we can do about it, buddy."

"Ash!" Ritchie called out. "That was a great battle. Next time, let's battle on equal footing!"

"You better be prepared because I'll beat you." I turned to face my new rival. "Thanks for a great battle. Win it all!"

My little buddy climbed onto my shoulder as I exited the trainer box as another trainer replaced me. An employee stopped me with a tray of three Great Balls, three Ultra Balls, a King's Rock, and a Pokémon Egg in a glass containment unit. The egg was a white egg with brown spots.

I grabbed the balls and threw them in my bag while placing the King's Rock in a special compartment. Then I took the egg with Pikachu sniffing it. My friends gathered around me.

Serena hooked her arm around mine and hugged it. "You were amazing out there!" Then she bent downwards to get a better look at the egg. "Looks like you'll be a father to a Pokémon soon! Just like Gary is to Squirtle!"

I chuckled. "But I'll be the better father!"

My best friend giggled while placing her hands behind her back. "I bet you would."

"Congratulations, Ash," Brock patted me on the back. "You did a great job leveraging your Pokémon's strengths. Seems as though Bulbasaur was great in this format."

"Not too surprising given the format's test on endurance," Misty stated with her tablet in hand. "I recorded your matches that we should review for any signs of tiredness so you can get a better understanding of when they're getting tired. I have a list of observations so let's compare notes at the Pokémon Center before reviewing to see if it lines up and what we missed. Other than that, nice job."

I blinked as I swore Misty just complimented me. I would have imagined she would have been disappointed in that I didn't earn the grand prize, but maybe she knew how difficult it was to be the sole survivor.

I turned to face the field where Ritchie had begun his next battle. Part of me wanted to stay here to observe the other Pokémon he may have at his disposal.

"This competition is being broadcasted on one of the channels if you wanted to see how this all ends," Misty noted. "Besides, that Ritchie kid is part of the Gym Challenge."

"He is?" I turned to face my coach.

She nodded. "He's already got a leg up on you due to how long you survived out there so part of our session will be looking to his profile as I can see him making it to the Regional League."

Brock stepped in too. "Don't forget your Pokémon are more exhausted due to this format. It'll be important for them to get some rest."

Without further delay, I followed my friends towards the exit. I looked over my shoulder to look at Ritchie, already thinking of our next battle.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts or questions**

**Next Time: Chapter 15 - Rising Star**

**Questions you may have**

**Q: Why did I skip many battles?**

**At a certain point, it becomes exhausting to write and to read. I wanted to highlight the newly caught Pokemon as well as give certain ones some time to shine**

**Q: Why did Ledyba freeze here and not any other time?**

**Part of who it is. Every other time we seen it with other Pokemon it considers it to be its swarm. It's a little shy and part of the development**

**Q: Why did Ash win so many in a row? **

**He did something similar in the Advance Challenge series in Petalberg. Granted he was further along but keep in mind approximately half the people at the competition had less experience than Ash too. **

**Q: Why does Nidorino evolve again?**

**There's a time and a place for it.**

**Q: What's in the egg?**

**Stay tuned and find out.**


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